Characteristic features of injuries due to shark attacks: a review of 12 cases.
Shark attacks on humans might not occur as often as is believed and the characteristic features of shark injuries on corpses have not been extensively reviewed. We describe the characteristic features of shark injuries on 12 corpses. The analysis of these injuries might reveal the motivation behind the attacks and/or the shark species involved in the attack. Gouge marks on the bones are evidence of a shark attack, even if the corpse is decomposed. Severance of the body part at the joints without a fracture was found to be a characteristic feature of shark injuries.
Ihama
Yoko
Y
Department of Legal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0215, Japan. makino@med.u-ryukyu.ac.jp
Ninomiya
Kenji
K
Noguchi
Masamichi
M
Fuke
Chiaki
C
Miyazaki
Tetsuji
T
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000473:pathology*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D049429:Forensic Pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012754:Sharks