Blind torpedo (Benthobatis marcida)

Scientific name: Benthobatis marcida Bean & Weed, 1909

Blind torpedo (Benthobatis marcida)

The Blind torpedo (Benthobatis marcida) is a marine fish of the family Narcinidae. Native range: Western Central Atlantic. South Carolina, USA to northern Cuba.

Biology

Narrow protractile mouth. Caudal is oval shape. Greater length of head anterior to spiracles, union of margins of its pelvic fins to their tips with the sides of the tail. Soft body and skin. Light brown to yellowish-brown dorsal color pattern; white to yellowish-white ventral color pattern, sometimes with distinct yellow markings on posterior ventral disc surface, ventral pelvic fin area, and around mouth. Caudal fin length much less than 1/2 length of tail, roughly equal to 1/5 length of tail; relatively more pronounced upper and lower lobes with lower strongly convex. Distance between dorsal and caudal fins about equal to distance between first and second dorsal fins. Snout relatively short, generally less than 1/3 in disc-length (24% of disc length in 43.5 cm TL female, 25% in 48.5 cm TL), but never much greater than 1/3 as in B. moresbyi (ca 40% in lectotype); disc more rounded, not as elongated as in B. moresbyi.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Benthobatis marcida
Family
Narcinidae (Numbfishes)
Order
Torpediniformes (Electric rays)
Class
Elasmobranchii (Sharks and Rays)
Maximum length
50.0
Depth range
200–923 m (656–3028 ft)
Environment
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 200 - 923 m
Climate
Deep-water
Distribution
Western Central Atlantic. South Carolina, USA to northern Cuba.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans
Other
Uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Resilience
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Assuming fecundity

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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