Common Names
Members of this order are commonly referred to as electric rays, torpedo rays, or numbfish.
Characteristics
Torpediniformes are distinguished by several key features:
- Electric organs: These specialized organs, located on either side of the head, are capable of generating powerful electrical discharges.
- Flattened body: Their bodies are flattened dorsoventrally, allowing them to lie partially buried in the sand or mud.
- Large pectoral fins: These fins are fused to the head, forming a disc-like shape.
- Small dorsal fins: They have one or two small dorsal fins located towards the tail.
- Caudal fin: The caudal fin is usually small and rounded.
- Eyes: Their eyes are typically small and located on the dorsal surface of the head.
- Mouth: The mouth is located on the ventral surface of the head, and they have numerous rows of small teeth.
Environments
Electric rays are found in marine habitats worldwide, primarily in temperate and tropical waters. They inhabit a variety of environments, including:
- Continental shelves: They are commonly found on sandy or muddy bottoms in shallow coastal areas.
- Open ocean: Some species inhabit deeper waters in the open ocean.
- Coral reefs: A few species are found associated with coral reefs.
References
FishBase: Torpediniformes
NCBI: Torpediniformes
Wikipedia: Torpediniformes
