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Short-tail Torpedo Ray
Torpedo macneilli (Whitley, 1932)
Above and below: A 60cm long Short-tail Torpedo Ray trawled during the NORFANZ expedition at a depth between 587m and 700m on the Lord Howe Rise north of Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, May 2003 (CSIRO H6030-12). Photo: R. McPhee © NORFANZ. View larger image.
Ventral surface of the Short-tail Torpedo Ray in the top image. Photo: R. McPhee © NORFANZ. View larger image.
The Short-tail Torpedo Ray's disc is usually broader than long. The profile across the front of the fish is nearly straight. The skin is smooth, but may be creased. There are two small dorsal fins and a large caudal fin. The eyes are very small. On the underside of the head are five pairs of gill slits.
This species is grey, yellowish or brown above and white below.
It grows to at least 1m in length.
The Short-tail Torpedo Ray has electric organs in the disc. The organs are made up of hexagonal, fluid filled cells that cause the upper surface of the fish to have a positive charge and the lower surface a negative charge. Reports exist of fishermen who have received severe electric shocks from handling this fish.
It is a bottom dwelling species that normally occurs between 90m and 580m in depth.
The Short-tail Torpedo Ray is endemic to (only found in) Australia. It is known from the north-western coast of Western Australia, around the south of the country including Tasmania, and north to the central coast of Queensland.
This species is also known as Electric Ray and Torpedo.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Related links
- For more information on how the Short-tail Torpedo Ray produces electricity view the FAQ page.
Further reading
- Last, P.R. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
- Last, P.R. & J.D. Stevens. 1994. Sharks and Rays of Australia. CSIRO. Pp. 513.
