Gulf torpedo
| Persian Gulf torpedo | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Order: | Torpediniformes |
| Family: | Torpedinidae |
| Genus: | Torpedo |
| Species: | T. sinuspersici |
| Binomial name | |
|
Torpedo sinuspersici Olfers, 1831 |
|
 |
|
| Range of the Gulf torpedo | |
The Gulf torpedo, marbled electric ray, or variable electric ray (Torpedo sinuspersici) is a species of electric ray in the family Torpedinidae. It is found in the Indian Ocean, but may represent a species flock of several local endemic species. It is distinguishable from other Torpedo species in its range by its ornate dorsal coloration.
The Gulf torpedo is the most widespread of the electric rays in the western Indian Ocean, with a patchy range extending to South Africa, Somalia, the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Persian Gulf, Sri Lanka, and the Andaman Sea. There are also less reliable reports of it occurring elsewhere, including Madagascar, the Seychelles, and the Laccadive Islands. It is found in shallow waters in sandy areas, on and near coral reefs, and offshore to a depth of 200 meters. It often buries itself in the sandy bottom of gullies and estuaries.
The Gulf torpedo has a rounded pectoral fin disc, 84% as wide as long. The tail is short and stocky, bearing two small, subtriangular dorsal fins placed very close together, with the second three-quarters the size of the first. The pelvic fins are fleshy and partly fused to the disc, while the caudal fin is small and broadly rounded. The eyes are small; the spiracles are larger than the eyes in adults and bear 9-10 papillae on the rim. The skin is smooth. The mouth is wide and contains small, sharply cusped teeth. It measures up to 130 cm long, although most are less than 100 cm. The angling record from South Africa is 13 kg.
...
Wikipedia