Determining shark size from forensic analysis of bite damage

Lowry, Dayv; Castro, Alessandra Maia de; Mara, Kyle R.; Whitenack, Lisa B.; Delius, Bryan K.; Burgess, George H.; Motta, Philip

doi:10.1007/s00227-009-1273-3

Cited by 60 publications

(126 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…plutodus Garrick &Springer, 1964, are small pelagic sharks best known for their feeding behavior, which has been characterized by some authors as ectoparasitic. Cookiecutter sharks use specialized pharyngeal muscles, upper jaw, hyoid and branchial arches, and fleshy lips to suck onto prey, inserting hooklike upper teeth and proportionately massive lower teeth into the prey, then may twist in a circular motion to remove a plug of flesh (Shirai and Nakaya 1992, Motta and Wilga 2001, Lowry et al 2009). The resultant circular and concave wounds have been observed on the bodies of a variety of large pelagic species, including such diverse biota as cetaceans, pinnipeds, scombroid fishes (tunas, snake mackerels, b illfishes), sharks and rays, and sea turtles ( Jones 1971, Papastamatiou et al 2010.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

First Documented Attack on a Live Human by a Cookiecutter Shark (Squaliformes, Dalatiidae: Isistius sp.)

Honebrink¹,

Buch

Galpin

et al. 2011

Pacific Science

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An adult long-distance swimmer attempting to cross the 'Alenuihähä Channel between the Hawaiian islands of Hawai'i and Maui was twice bitten by a cookiecutter shark (Squaliformes, Dalatiidae, Isistius sp.). One of these bites presented as an open, round, concave wound typically observed in cookiecutter shark bites inflicted by members of this genus on a broad spectrum of large b iota such as marine mammals, elasmobranchs, and bony fishes. The open wound was debrided, subjected to negative pressure wound therapy, and a split thickness skin graft harvested from the left thigh. Postoperative recovery was complicated by delayed healing of the inferior portion of the graft, and cultures and biopsy were normal skin flora and normal tissue, respectively. At 6 months after the incident, the area appeared to be healing with a stable eschar, and by 9 months the wound was healed. Humans entering pelagic waters at twilight and nighttime hours in areas of Isistius sp. occurrence should do so knowing that cookiecutter sharks are a potential danger, particularly during periods of strong moonlight, in areas of man-made illumination, or in the presence of bioluminescent o rganisms.

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mentioning

confidence: 99%

First Documented Attack on a Live Human by a Cookiecutter Shark (Squaliformes, Dalatiidae: Isistius sp.)

Honebrink¹,

Buch

Galpin

et al. 2011

Pacific Science

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“…To reconstruct a white shark's size, we needed appropriate references from the wounds or board damages, preferably adjacent tooth imprints. Since there is a strong correlation between a shark's length and its interdental distances, the measurements taken from surfer wounds or damaged boards allowed us to accurately estimate the size of the white shark involved [40,41].…”

Section: What Is It With Surfers and Sharks?mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Importance of Academic Research in the Field of Shark-Human Interactions: A Three-Pronged Approach to a Better Understanding of Shark Encounters

Ritter¹,

Amin²

2017

Chondrichthyes - Multidisciplinary Approach

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One of the least understood areas of shark research is the interaction between animals and humans, from factors influencing face-to-face encounters to the causes of incidents and behavior patterns. Although some of these questions can be addressed through studies outside of the water, most interaction-related questions have to be tested by direct observation of the sharks. The main goal of our research is to better understand sharks, and what influences them the most when they are in the vicinity of a human being. Our improved understanding of this animal substantiates the notion that sharks are no different from other animal species and do not reflect the still too often presented media monster. Understanding the true nature of this animal transforms this wrongfully described creature into the rather shy and intelligent animal that it truly is.

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“…Although detailed descriptions of bite mark injuries involving humans and wild animals are largely lacking (e.g., Freer, 2004), odontological studies with similar goals have been successfully undertaken in modern cases when investigators need to identify the species, or even the individual animal, involved in human-animal and animalanimal encounters (e.g., Glass et al, 1975;George et al, 1994;Rollins and Spencer, 1995;Nambiar et al, 1996;Murmann et al, 2006;De Giorgio et al, 2007;Lowry et al, 2009;Shields et al, 2009;Bergman et al, 2010); a smaller number of taphonomic studies have also been described (e.g., Sutcliffe, 1970;Brain, 1981;Boaz et al, 2000;Domínguez-Rodrigo and Piqueras, 2003;Delaney-Rivera et al, 2009;Gignac et al, 2010). In some of these cases, a direct comparison was made between wound marks and an individual animal, while in other instances, where species identification was the goal, the spacing between paired canine marks (intercanine width or canine spread) was considered against known ranges for candidate species (e.g., Elbroch, 2006:83 -88) in order to narrow the list of possible perpetrators.…”

Section: Identifying the Source Of The Cranial Traumamentioning

confidence: 99%

Identification of a Pre-Contact Polar Bear Victim at Native Point, Southampton Island, Nunavut, Using 3D Technology and a Virtual Zooarchaeology Collection

Ryan¹,

Betts²,

Oliver-Lloyd³

et al. 2014

ARCTIC

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ABSTRACT. The skeletal remains of an adult Sadlermiut woman with obvious trauma to her cranial and post-cranial skeleton were excavated from Native Point (KkHh-1), Southampton Island, Nunavut, in 1954. In order to determine the possible cause of this damage, we first documented the skeletal injuries using traditional bioarchaeological techniques. We then created a three-dimensional model of the cranium and mandible to permit better visualization and analysis of the cranial lesions, some of which were obscured by post-depositional weathering. This model was imported into a virtual environment in order to compare the lesions with the craniodental structure of four Arctic carnivore species available as digital models through the Virtual Zooarchaeology of the Arctic Project (VZAP), an online comparative faunal collection. We eliminated all but the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) using this process, which suggested that an individual of this species was responsible for the skeletal trauma. We further identified a minimum number of "bites" on the cranium, some with overlapping lesions, which suggested a possible attack sequence. Use of a virtual environment and an online comparative collection were critical to this process and represent a new technique for evaluating past skeletal trauma and its causes.Key words: Sadlermiut, skeletal trauma, polar bear (Ursus maritimus), Virtual Zooarchaeology of the Arctic Project (VZAP), digital technology, virtual technology RÉSUMÉ. En 1954, lors de travaux archéologiques sur le site Native Point (KkHh-1), île Southampton, Nunavut, les restes du squelette d'une femme adulte de la culture Sadlermiut portant des signes évidents de traumatismes crânien et post-crânien avaient été excavés. Dans le but de déterminer les causes possibles de ces dommages, nous avons d'abord documenté les lésions squelettiques à l'aide de techniques bio-archéologiques traditionnelles. Ensuite, nous avons créé un modèle en trois dimensions du crâne et de la mandibule pour permettre de bien visualiser et analyser les lésions crâniennes, notamment parce que certaines d'entre elles étaient obscurcies par l'érosion post-dépositionnelle. Ce modèle a été importé dans un environnement virtuel afin de comparer les lésions à la structure cranio-dentaire de quatre espèces carnivores provenant de l'Arctique dont les modèles figurent déjà dans la collection ostéologique comparative en ligne du projet VZAP (Virtual Zooarchaeology of the Arctic Project). Nous avons ainsi éliminé tous les carnivores à l'exception de l'ours polaire (Ursus maritimus), laissant penser qu'un membre de cette espèce serait responsable des traumatismes du squelette de cette femme. Nous avons également identifié des morsures sur le crâne de cette femme, suggérant une possible séquence d'attaques, ne serait-ce que par la présence d'une série de lésions qui se chevauchent. L'utilisation d'un environnement virtuel et d'une collection comparative virtuelle a joué un rôle déterminant dans ce processus et représente une nouvelle technique pour évaluer les...

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Determining shark size from forensic analysis of bite damage

Cited by 60 publications

References 41 publications

First Documented Attack on a Live Human by a Cookiecutter Shark (Squaliformes, Dalatiidae: Isistius sp.)

First Documented Attack on a Live Human by a Cookiecutter Shark (Squaliformes, Dalatiidae: Isistius sp.)

The Importance of Academic Research in the Field of Shark-Human Interactions: A Three-Pronged Approach to a Better Understanding of Shark Encounters

Identification of a Pre-Contact Polar Bear Victim at Native Point, Southampton Island, Nunavut, Using 3D Technology and a Virtual Zooarchaeology Collection

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