The black-spotted torpedo (''Torpedo fuscomaculata'') is a poorly known, uncommon species of electric ray in the family

Torpedinidae The family Torpedinidae contains 22 species of electric rays or torpedoes, flat cartilaginous fishes that produce electricity as a defense and feeding mechanism. They are slow-moving bottom-dwellers. The largest species is the Atlantic torped ...

, known for being capable of generating an

electric shock Electrical injury is a physiological reaction caused by electric current passing through the body. The injury depends on the density of the current, tissue resistance and duration of contact. Very small currents may be imperceptible or produce ...

. It is endemic to southern Africa and possibly several small Indian Ocean islands, although the latter reports may represent undescribed new species. Its appearance is similar to the

Gulf torpedo The Gulf torpedo (''Torpedo sinuspersici'') or variable electric ray, is a species of electric ray in the family Torpedinidae. It is found in the Indian Ocean, but may represent a species flock of several local endemic species. It is distinguish ...

(''Torpedo sinuspersici''), but it is duller in coloration.

Distribution and habitat

This species occurs in the western Indian Ocean, from South Africa east of Cape Agulhas to Zanzibar, and possibly as far north as Kenya. There are reports of it from Somalia, but they are unconfirmed. It is also found around Madagascar, the Seychelles, and Mauritius. It frequents estuaries and the

intertidal zone The intertidal zone, also known as the foreshore, is the area above water level at low tide and underwater at high tide (in other words, the area within the tidal range). This area can include several types of habitats with various species o ...

to a depth of 439 m, as well as in sandy areas near deep rocky reefs. There are anecdotal accounts of it traveling up rivers and estuary systems in the

Eastern Cape The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha. The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in ...

of South Africa, such as the

Kariega Estuary Uitenhage ( ; ), officially renamed Kariega, is a South African town in the Eastern Cape Province. It is well known for the Volkswagen factory located there, which is the biggest car factory on the African continent. Along with the city of Port ...

2 km from the coast. The

salinity Salinity () is the saltiness or amount of salt dissolved in a body of water, called saline water (see also soil salinity). It is usually measured in g/L or g/kg (grams of salt per liter/kilogram of water; the latter is dimensionless and equal ...

of these waterways has recently increased for unknown reasons.

Description

The maximum reported length for this ray is 64 cm. It has a rounded pectoral fin disc and two dorsal fins, with the base of the first placed entirely above 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 ...

s. The tail has a ridge-like lateral fold and a small caudal fin. 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 fringed with small papillae. The clasper glans region does not have an integumental flap, as in ''

Torpedo panthera ''Torpedo panthera'' also known as the leopard torpedo is a species of fish in the family Torpedinidae. It is found in Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, India, Iran, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Its natural habitat ...

'' and '' Torpedo adenensis''. The coloration is generally yellowish or reddish-brown above, with numerous closely packed dark brown spots. However, there is enormous variation in the number, size, and disposition of the darker spots, and some specimens have a dark grayish- or blackish-brown dorsal coloration with no spots at all. Other specimens have gray flecks along with the darker spots, or an altogether gray coloration. The population from Mauritius may be distinct, as they have smaller, more regularly displayed spots on a lighter background color.

Biology and ecology

The diet of the black-spotted torpedo consists of fish and

cuttlefish Cuttlefish or cuttles are marine molluscs of the order Sepiida. They belong to the class Cephalopoda which also includes squid, octopuses, and nautiluses. Cuttlefish have a unique internal shell, the cuttlebone, which is used for control of ...

, which are probably stunned using electricity. Like other electric rays it is ovoviviparous, with parturition taking place in

summer Summer is the hottest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, the earliest sunrise and latest sunset occurs, daylight hours are longest and dark hours are shortest, wit ...

Relationship to humans

Monitoring, abundance estimates, and basic biological data are needed for the black-spotted torpedo in order to assess its conservation status. It is taken as by-catch by inshore trawl

fisheries Fishery can mean either the enterprise of raising or harvesting fish and other aquatic life; or more commonly, the site where such enterprise takes place ( a.k.a. fishing ground). Commercial fisheries include wild fisheries and fish farms, both ...

and anglers, and its shallow estuarine and intertidal habitats are vulnerable to coastal development. Resolving its taxonomy may reveal that this species has a much more restricted range than previously thought.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1484929 Torpedo (genus) Fish described in 1855 Taxa named by Wilhelm Peters Taxonomy articles created by Polbot