Domain |
   Eukarya |
Kingdom |
   Animalia |
Phylum |
   Chordata |
Family |
   Torpedinidae |
Description |
   Electric rays |
Environment |
   Marine |
Etymology |
   Latin, torpere = to be with paralysis, caused when touching the fish or when it waves |
Genus |
   1 |
No. of Species |
   22 |
Order |
   Torpediniformes |
Class |
   Elasmobranchii |
Reproductive Guild |
   Bearers |
Distribution |
   Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. Short description: Head equipped with electric organs, developed from branchial muscles; eyes small; disc truncate anteriorly; jaws extremely slender; no labial cartilage; rostrum reduced; tail well developed; 2 dorsal and caudal fins well developed. Skin soft and loose. Large specimens can give a severe jolt, normally used to stun small fishes on which they feed. The young hatch inside the uterus and are born fully developed. Subfamily Hypninae elevated to family rank. |