Electric ray (Torpedo nobiliana)

Scientific name: Torpedo nobiliana Bonaparte, 1835

The Electric ray (Torpedo nobiliana) is a marine fish of the family Torpedinidae.

Biology

Large ray with a huge, paddle-shaped caudal fin and with no papillae around spiracles. Shiny black or dark grey above, underside white. Broad subcircular disc, short snout anterior to the eyes. Smooth skin, short thick tail. Dark chocolate to purplish brown above, without spots, white below, but with edges of disc and pelvic fins of same hue as upper surface, tail with irregular dark margins.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Torpedo nobiliana
Family
Torpedinidae (Electric rays)
Order
Torpediniformes (Electric rays)
Class
Elasmobranchii (Sharks and Rays)
Maximum length
180
Common length
40.0
Depth range
2–800 m (7–2625 ft)
Environment
Marine; benthopelagic; oceanodromous; depth range 2 - 800 m, usually 10 - 150 m
Climate
Subtropical
Distribution
Eastern Atlantic: Scotland (rare in North Sea) to Morocco, whole of Mediterranean, but not Black Sea; Cap Blanc in Mauritania to Gulf of Guinea, S?o Tom? Island; Walvis Bay, Namibia to Mossel Bay, South Africa. Western Atlantic: Nova Scotia, Canada south to Brazil.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Data deficient (DD)
Threat to humans
Other
Uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Resilience
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (up to 60 offspring only)

Sources

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

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