22 DANGEROUS MARINE ANIMALS 



rearward from pectorals marked with round to oval spots, varying 

 in color from yellowish brown to ochre yellow. Attains a length of 

 10 ft. Inhabits the Mediterranean, tropical West Africa, Canaries 

 and the Cape Verdes in the eastern Atlantic, South Africa ; western 

 Atlantic from the Gulf of Maine to Florida and southern Brazil ; rep- 

 resented in Argentine waters and in the Indo-Pacific by close allies. 



Gray Nurse Shark, Carcharias arenarius Ogilby. (Not pictured: 

 similar to Fig. 4, Top) . This shark is said to be swift and savage 

 in making its attacks. It inhabits both coastal areas and the open 

 sea. This shark is characterized by the size and position of the dor- 

 sal fins, and teeth. Color varies from pale gray to dirty pale br&wn 

 above, dull white below. Attains a length of 9 ft. or more. Inhabits 

 waters about Australia. 



Ganges River Shark, Carcharias gangeticus Miiller and Henle. 

 (Not pictured: similar to Fig. 4, Top). Little is known about its 

 habits. Reputed to be a ferocious shark, attacking many bathers. 

 Color is gray above, dull white below. Attains a length of 7 ft. 

 Indian Ocean to Japan, ascending freshwater rivers. 



Hammerhead Shark Family (Sphyrnidae) 



Hammerhead Shark, Sphyrna diplana Springer. (Fig. 4, Bot- 

 tom). This shark is a powerful swimmer, and may be found far 

 out at sea or close inshore, frequently seen swimming at the surface. 

 Human remains have been found in the stomachs of hammerheads, 

 and they are definitely known to attack man. Color is ashen-gray 

 above, fading to white below. Hammerheads are readily disting- 

 uished by the peculiar shape of the head which is much flattened 

 dorso-ventrally and very widely expanded laterally in "hammer" 

 or "bonnet" form, with the eyes at its outer edges. Hammerheads 

 may attain a length of 15 ft. or more. S. diplana is representative 

 of a complex of closely related species which are distributed 

 throughout tropical and warm temperate zones of all oceans, 

 including the Mediterranean Sea. 



Medical Aspects. Bites from sharks are severe, and death is due 

 to massive hemorrhage and shock. The fatality rate from reported 

 shark attacks has been variously estimated from 50 to 80 percent. 

 Severe skin abrasions may be suffered by brushing up against the 

 skin of sharks. 



Treatment. Shark bites generally result in a loss of large amounts 

 of tissue and massive hemorrhage (Fig. 5). Therefore, the first aid 

 management of shark bites is concerned with two major problems 



