Scientific name:
Torpedinoidei

Natural spread:
Atlantic, Mediterranean

the electric or torpedo rays distinguishes itself through one oval, disk-shaped bodies, off which the tail-stalk is clearly taken with wide stomach-fins. The small eyes wasted away with some deep sea-types or are missing even completely. The approximately 40 types are assigned to 3 families: The real torpedo rays (family Torpedinidae) carry 2 back-fins on the tail-stalk while only one and the family of the Temeridae have the family of the Narcidae not any back-fin.

Electric organs The musculature of the with other smelled wing-nicely increased both flippers was reorganized with the torpedo rays to electric tissue. Individual types electric jolts with a tension of 200-220 volts can generate with it, through what stunned loot-animals, for example flat-fish, or is killed. With the defense of enemies, the electric shocks are an effective weapon. For the human being, the discharges are very painful, but not life-threatening. In the old Rome, one would use torpedo rays for a type "Electro-shock-therapy" at the treatment of gouty.

Way of life The formation of the electric organs causes that the torpedo rays cannot move like other smelled with the flippers. To this, they take the tail-stalk to help. By lateral rudder-hits of the tail fluke, the body is advanced slowly and heavily. Some deep sea-torpedo rays can move jumping with its stomach-fins at the seabed. The food consists of cancers and other invertebrate ground-animals to the predominant part, but also from ground-living in fishings. The boys slip from the eggs already in the womb and were born (ovovivipar) living.

Spread, types Mainly, the torpedo rays live in the coast-area of tropical and subtropical seas. Before southwest-Europe and in the Mediterranean, only real torpedo rays of the type are to be found torpedo, the most frequently the spotted torpedo ray (torpedo torpedo) long until 60 cm and the just as big marble-torpedo ray (T). marmorata. As biggest type, it reaches occurring blacks torpedo rays (T) in the Atlantic and in the Mediterranean. nobiliana, a total-length of up to 1,80 m.