''Narcine'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of electric rays in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Narcinidae Narcinidae, or numbfishes, are a family of electric rays (order Torpediniformes). They are bottom-dwelling cartilaginous fishes with large, rounded pectoral fin discs and long tails. They can produce an electric discharge for defense, from whic ...

. These

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

have a rounded

pectoral fin Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as ...

disc and two

dorsal fin A dorsal fin is a fin located on the back of most marine and freshwater vertebrates within various taxa of the animal kingdom. Many species of animals possessing dorsal fins are not particularly closely related to each other, though through conv ...

s, the first usually smaller than the second and placed behind the

pelvic fin Pelvic fins or ventral fins are paired fins located on the ventral surface of fish. The paired pelvic fins are homologous to the hindlimbs of tetrapods. Structure and function Structure In actinopterygians, the pelvic fin consists of two en ...

bases. The

tail The tail is the section at the rear end of certain kinds of animals’ bodies; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammals, r ...

is longer than the disc and has a lateral fold. The

spiracle Spiracle or spiraculum may refer to: * Spiracle (arthropods), opening in the exoskeletons of some arthropods * Spiracle (vertebrates), openings on the surface of some vertebrates * Spiraculum, a genus of land snails in family Cyclophoridae Cycl ...

s are close behind the eyes, the nasal flaps are merged into a flap in front of the

mouth In animal anatomy, the mouth, also known as the oral cavity, or in Latin cavum oris, is the opening through which many animals take in food and issue vocal sounds. It is also the cavity lying at the upper end of the alimentary canal, bounded on ...

. The teeth are nearly flat, with a central point.

Species

There are currently 21 recognized species in this genus: * '' Narcine atzi'' M. R. de Carvalho & J. E. Randall, 2003 (Atz's numbfish) * ''

Narcine baliensis ''Narcine'' is a genus of electric rays in the family Narcinidae. These species have a rounded pectoral fin disc and two dorsal fins, the first usually smaller than the second and placed behind the pelvic fin bases. The tail is longer than the di ...

'' M. R. de Carvalho &

W. T. White W. may refer to: * SoHo (Australian TV channel) (previously W.), an Australian pay television channel * ''W.'' (film), a 2008 American biographical drama film based on the life of George W. Bush * "W.", the fifth track from Codeine's 1992 EP ''Bar ...

, 2016 Carvalho, M.R.d. & White, W.T. (2016): ''Narcine baliensis'', a new species of electric ray from southeast Asia (Chondrichthyes: Torpediniformes). ''Zootaxa, 4127 (1): 149–160.'' * '' Narcine bancroftii'' ( E. Griffith & C. H. Smith, 1834) (Lesser electric ray) * ''

Narcine brasiliensis ''Narcine brasiliensis'', the Brazilian electric ray or lesser numbfish, is a species of electric ray in the family Narcinidae Narcinidae, or numbfishes, are a family of electric rays (order Torpediniformes). They are bottom-dwelling cartil ...

'' ( Olfers, 1831) (Brazilian electric ray) * ''

Narcine brevilabiata The shortlip electric ray (''Narcine brevilabiata''), is a species of electric ray in the numbfish family, Narcinidae. It may be synonymous with the blackspotted numbfish, ''Narcine maculata''. The shortlip electric ray is found in shallow conti ...

'' Bessednov, 1966 (Short-lip electric ray) * ''

Narcine brunnea ''Narcine brunnea'', the brown numbfish or brown electric ray, is a species of numbfish in the family Narcinidae. It is found in Indo-West Pacific countries such as Pakistan off coast, India, Sri Lanka, to the Gulf of Thailand Thailand ...

'' Annandale, 1909 (Brown numbfish) * ''

Narcine entemedor ''Narcine entemedor'', the giant electric ray or Cortez electric ray, is a species of numbfish, family Narcinidae, native to the eastern Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of California to Panama. It is found in shallow water on sandy bottoms and someti ...

'' D. S. Jordan & Starks, 1895 (Giant electric ray) * '' Narcine insolita'' M. R. de Carvalho, Séret & Compagno, 2002 (Madagascar numbfish) * '' Narcine leoparda'' M. R. de Carvalho, 2001 (Leopard electric ray) * '' Narcine lingula'' J. Richardson, 1846 (Chinese numbfish) * '' Narcine maculata'' ( G. Shaw, 1804) (Dark-finned numbfish) * '' Narcine oculifera'' M. R. de Carvalho, Compagno & Mee, 2002 (Big-eye electric ray) * '' Narcine prodorsalis'' Bessednov, 1966 (Tonkin numbfish) * '' Narcine rierai'' ( Lloris & Rucabado, 1991) (Slender electric ray) * '' Narcine tasmaniensis'' J. Richardson, 1841 (Tasmanian numbfish) * '' Narcine timlei'' (

Bloch Bloch is a surname of German origin. Notable people with this surname include: A–F * (1859-1914), French rabbi *Adele Bloch-Bauer (1881-1925), Austrian entrepreneur *Albert Bloch (1882–1961), American painter * (born 1972), German motor journal ...

& J. G. Schneider, 1801) (Spotted numbfish) * '' Narcine vermiculatus'' Breder, 1928 (Vermiculate electric ray)

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2559181 Ray genera Taxa named by Friedrich Gustav Jakob Henle Taxonomy articles created by Polbot