Defoe: the teeth of a storm

Javier Mascherano
Photo: Graham Hughes/APHe was only nibbling, according to his manager, but the footballer Jermain Defoe's extraordinary chomp on an opponent's arm made the front pages today and prompted the sports minister, Richard Caborn, to demand action.

Given that no injury appears to have been sustained by the bitten Javier Mascherano, why the reaction? Such acts of primal fang-baring are, perhaps, too uncomfortably animalistic, recalling dark echoes from our collective subconscious, either as predators or prey. Our mouths can be the source of civilised speech - or they can bite.

Defoe's nip boasts both an element of surprise and a comical facial expression. But can it stand the test of time alongside favourite bites from the annals of history, literature and the news? Here are four more we think should be in any top ten ...