NarcinidaeNarcinidae

Narke =paralysisNarke =paralysis

Numbfish Numbfish

CharacteristicsCharacteristics

• Round flat disc w/ soft edges no denticles or thorns• Large spiracles• Prominent caudal fin• 1st dorsal fin =2nd dorsal fin• Mouth tubular and protractile• Bioelectrogenesis in electric organs behind eyes for

sensing and stunning prey – 8-37 volts– Accessory electric organ– electroplaques

• Nocturnal

Family NarcinidaeFamily Narcinidae• 9 genera w/ 40 spp. (last three often

included in separate family)– Benthobatis –blind rays

• 3 spp.– Crassinarke – sleeper torpedo

• 1 spp.– Diplobatis- painted ray

• 4 spp.– Discopyge –Apron ray

• 1 spp.– Heteronarce –soft electric ray

• 4 spp.– Narcine – lesser electric ray

• 19 spp.– Narke

• 3 spp.– Temera

• 1 spp.– Typhlonarke

• 2 spp.

New speciesNew species

• 2003 Benthobatis yangi

• 2003 Narcine atzi

• 2002 Narcine insolita

• 2002 Narcine oculifera

• 2001 Narcine leoparda

distributiondistribution

• Sandy or muddy shallow waters – Atlantic– Pacific– Indian Ocean

• Temperate to subtropical waters– Narcine -circumtropical concentrated in Indo-West

Pacific– Benthobatis -Atlantic and Indian– Diplobatis -E. Pacific and W. Atlantic– Discopyge- S.W. Atlantic and S.E. Pacific– Crassinarke- W. North Pacific– Heteronarce –W. and C. Indian Ocean

Diplobatis ommataDiplobatis ommata

Narcine Narcine brasiliensisbrasiliensis

Crassinarke dormitorCrassinarke dormitor– sleeper – sleeper torpedotorpedo

Diplobatis pictus- painted rayDiplobatis pictus- painted ray

Discopyge tschudii –Discopyge tschudii –Apron rayApron ray

FeedingFeeding

• Tubular mouth extended to suck up benthic prey– Polychaete worms– Crustaceans– Small teleosts– anemones

ReproductionReproduction

• Ovoviviparous

• Nourished w/ yolk them histotroph

• Young born w/ ability to produce electrical charge

IUCN red listIUCN red list

• Bycatch of bottom trawl fisheries

• Fish meal

• 2 spp. Off S. America– Discopyge tschudii – neat threatened – Narcine leoparda – near threatened

• 6 spp. listed as vulnerable– Benthobatis kreffti, 4 spp. Of Diplobatis

Lesser electric rayLesser electric ray

• Narcine brasiliensis

• Distributed in shallow W. Atlantic; common in Gulf of Mexico

• Color varies from brown to orange w/ rings or ovals on dorsal surface

• Disc width 20cm, length 45 cm

• 17-34 tooth rows in each jaw– Conical, and sharp

Lesser Lesser electric rayelectric ray

Lesser electric rayLesser electric ray