title: Characteristic features of injuries due to shark attacks: a review of 12 cases.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0215, Japan. makino@med.u-ryukyu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ihama
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ninomiya
authors.forename: Masamichi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.forename: Chiaki
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fuke
authors.forename: Tetsuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
mesh_terms: 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