Species: Torpedo peruana, Peruvian torpedo

Torpedo peruana Chirichigno, 1963

Peruvian torpedo

Disc round, soft, smooth, broad, thick at front and center, thinner on and behind sides, its length 77-100% of width, rounded at front and back; with or without small smooth projection at rostrum; a pair of large, kidney shaped electric organs on head beside eyes; eyes small, oval; spiracles small, oblique (45 degrees to body axis), with smooth margins; gill slits under disc, first and last gill slits smallest, length of largest gill slit 40-48% of mouth width; mouth moderate sized, curved, top jaw overlapping bottom jaw, large, width 70-100% of distance before mouth, with longitudinal grooves at sides, without cartilaginous lips; teeth sharp, pointed, 22-37 series on top jaw, 20-38 on lower; pelvics begin under disc; tail thick, blending into trunk, shorter than disc; first dorsal larger than second, end of its base at level with or ahead of rear edges of base of pelvic fins; second dorsal about midway between first dorsal and tail fin, its origin over or a little before rear tip of pelvic fins; tail fin large, rear margin bluntly convex, without notch at its base, height greater than width of junction between tail and disc.

Grey to black to pale brown upper surface, rear margins of fins with light colored borders, best developed in pectorals, pelvics and tail fins.

Size: reaches 50 cm.

A bottom dwelling species that also makes excursions into midwater.

Depth: 24-170 m.

Costa Rica to Peru.