Many things frighten us, but the fear of sharks (is there such a word as “elasmophobia”?) is somehow unlike most of our other fears. It seems more profound, more deep-rooted, and it often manifests itself as revenge.]
1994, Richard Ellis, “The New Mythology of Monsters”, in Monsters of the Sea, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, →ISBN, page 373:
Elasmophobia was primarily restricted to seafarers, however, since the sharks were originally perceived as a threat to sailors who fell overboard.
2002, Ray Troll, “Shark Field Guide”, in Sharkabet: A Sea of Sharks from A to Z, Portland, Or.: WestWinds Press, →ISBN, page 36:
It was a bull shark that attacked 8-year-old Jessie Arbogast in the summer of 2001, severing his arm and setting off a nationwide wave of elasmophobia (an unusual fear of sharks).
