numbfish n : any sluggish bottom-dwelling ray of the order Torpediniformes having a rounded body and electric organs on each side of the head capable of emitting strong electric discharges [syn: electric ray, crampfish, torpedo] [also: numbfishes (pl)]

The numbfishes are a family, Narcinidae, of rays.

They are disc-shaped fishes, with a prominent caudal fin. They are bottom-dwelling fishes found in shallow waters in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.

They have electric organs in their head, used for sensing and for stunning prey. The electric shock that they can deliver gives them their name, from Greek narke meaning "paralysis". Narcinids don't generate such powerful voltages as the electric rays in the genus Torpedo, but have been measured at 8 to 37 volts.

Classification

In some systems Narcinidae is split into two, with the genera Narke, Typholonake, and Temera in the family Narkidae.

Species

There are about forty species in nine genera:

• Genus Benthobatis
  • Benthobatis kreffti Rincon, Stehmann & Vooren, 2001.
  • Blind torpedo, Benthobatis marcida Bean & Weed, 1909.
  • Dark blind ray, Benthobatis moresbyi Alcock, 1898.
• Genus Crassinarke
  • Sleeper torpedo, Crassinarke dormitor Takagi, 1951.
• Genus Diplobatis
  • Diplobatis colombiensis Fechhelm & McEachran, 1984.
  • Diplobatis guamachensis Martín Salazar, 1957.
  • Ocellated electric ray, Diplobatis ommata (Jordan & Gilbert, 1890).
  • Painted electric ray, Diplobatis pictus Palmer, 1950.
• Genus Discopyge
  • Apron ray, Discopyge tschudii Heckel, 1846.
• Genus Heteronarce
  • Elat electric ray, Heteronarce bentuviai (Baranes & Randall, 1989).
  • Natal electric ray, Heteronarce garmani Regan, 1921.
  • Soft electric ray, Heteronarce mollis (Lloyd, 1907).
  • Quilon electric ray, Heteronarce prabhui Talwar, 1981.
• Genus Narcine
  • Narcine atzi Carvalho & Randall, 2003.
  • Lesser electric ray, Narcine bancroftii (Griffith & Smith, 1834).
  • Brazilian electric ray, Narcine brasiliensis (Olfers, 1831).
  • Shortlip electric ray, Narcine brevilabiata Bessednov, 1966.
  • Brown numbfish, Narcine brunnea Annandale, 1909.
  • Giant electric ray, Narcine entemedor Jordan & Starks, 1895.
  • Largespotted numbfish, Narcine indica Henle, 1834.
  • Narcine insolita Carvalho, Séret & Compagno, 2002.
  • Narcine lasti Carvalho & Séret, 2002.
  • Narcine leoparda Carvalho, 2001.
  • Chinese numbfish, Narcine lingula Richardson, 1846.
  • Darkfinned numbfish, Narcine maculata (Shaw, 1804).
  • Narcine oculifera Carvalho, Compagno & Mee, 2002.
  • Tonkin numbfish, Narcine prodorsalis Bessednov, 1966.
  • Slender electric ray, Narcine rierai (Lloris & Rucabado, 1991).
  • Tasmanian numbfish, Narcine tasmaniensis Richardson, 1841.
  • Blackspotted numbfish, Narcine timlei (Bloch & Schneider, 1801).
  • Vermiculate electric ray, Narcine vermiculatus Breder, 1928.
  • Banded numbfish, Narcine westraliensis McKay, 1966.
• Genus Narke
  • Cape numbfish, Narke capensis (Gmelin, 1789).
  • Spottail sleeper ray, Narke dipterygia (Bloch & Schneider, 1801).
  • Japanese sleeper ray, Narke japonica (Temminck & Schlegel, 1850).
• Genus Temera
  • Finless sleeper ray, Temera hardwickii Gray, 1831.
• Genus Typhlonarke
  • Blind electric ray, Typhlonarke aysoni (Hamilton, 1902).
  • Oval electric ray, Typhlonarke tarakea Phillipps, 1929.

References