Genus: Narcine, Electric Rays, Numbfish Electric Ray, Numbfishes

NARCINE

ELECTRIC RAYS, NUMBFISHES

Elongate oval disc, with soft, flaccid edges, front convex; well-developed electrical organs visible as kidney-shaped mounds on either side of the head; nostrils with only one opening; eyes normally developed, not covered by skin; mouth small, tubular, protractile; central teeth extending onto lips and exposed when mouth is closed; 2 large, similar sized dorsal fins; outer part of inner edge of pelvic fins not joined to side of tail; thick tail, with membranous fold between center of 1st dorsal base & origin of tail fin; tail fin well developed, triangular, upper and lower lobes continuous around the tip.

A tropical to temperate genus of about 15 species found in the west Atlantic, Indian Ocean and western Pacific. One northwest Atlantic species occurs in our area.