Short-tail Torpedo Ray, Tetronarce nobiliana (Bonaparte 1835)
Other Names: Electric Ray, Great Torpedo Ray, Longtail Torpedo, Longtail Torpedo Ray, Shorttail Torpedo, Southern Numbfish, Torpedo, Torpedo Ray
Upperside of a male Short-tail Torpedo Ray, Tetronarce nobiliana, from the Lord Howe Rise north of Lord Howe Island, May 2003, depth 587-700 m - CSIRO H6030-12, 60 cm TL. Source: Robin McPhee / NORFANZ Founding Parties. License: All rights reserved
Summary:
A dark brown to yellowish or greyish-brown electric ray with whitish underside, a broadly-rounded disc, well-developed eyes and spiracles, rounded pelvic fins with well-developed anterior lobes, and relatively firm, leathery skin.
Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2022, Tetronarce nobiliana in Fishes of Australia, accessed 26 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/1844
Short-tail Torpedo Ray, Tetronarce nobiliana (Bonaparte 1835)
More Info
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Distribution |
Swains Reefs, Queensland, around southern Australia, to the Bonaparte Archipelago, Western Australia, and south of Timor Island in the Timor Sea (AUS EEZ), including Tasmania. Elsewhere the species is widespread with a patchy antitropical distribution in the Eastern Atlantic (Denmark to South Africa, including the Mediterranean Sea) and West Pacific (Japan, Taiwan and New Zealand). Inhabits stony, sandy or muddy areas on the continental shelf and slope, often near reefs. The species reportly undertakes long pelagic migrations often in near surface waters, and has been reported from mid-water trawls. |
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Features |
Body of moderate length, extremely depressed; posterior portion of body depressed, moderately short, extending slightly beyond ventral fins; lateral skin folds present, broadest on caudal peduncle. Disc formed by union of head and pectoral fins smooth, circular, evenly convex laterally; anterior edge almost straight; head not elevated above disc; eyes minute (approx. 2-3% disc length); spiracles with smooth edge separated from eye by more than eye diameter; mouth arched anteriorly, widely distensible; internasal flap short, broad; teeth with single cusps; five pairs of gill openings on underside of head; electric organs well developed. Two dorsal fins, first larger than second; origin of second behind pelvic fins, excluding claspers; anal fin absent; caudal fin large, generally emarginate, upper lobe slightly larger than lower lobe. |
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Feeding |
Feeds on fishes and crustaceans. |
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Biology |
In the South Pacific, males mature at ~60 cm TL (Last et al. 2016). Reproduction is aplacental viviparous with litter sizes up to 60 pups. The species can produce severe electric shocks when threatened, especially when handled. |
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Fisheries |
Taken as incidental bycatch in demersal trawl, longline, set net, and trammel net gear. |
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Remarks |
In Australia, this species has previously been known as Torpedo macneilli, Notastrape macneilli, Tetronarce tokionis, and Torpedo fairchildi. In most reference prior to 2016, this species was known as Torpedo macneilli in Australia. |
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Species Citation |
Torpedo nobiliana Bonaparte 1835, Iconografia della fauna italica: fasc 12, punt. 63, Pl. 154. Type locality: Italy, western Mediterranean Sea. |
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Author |
Bray, D.J. 2022 |
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Resources |
Short-tail Torpedo Ray, Tetronarce nobiliana (Bonaparte 1835)
References
Bonaparte, C.L. 1835. Iconografia della fauna italica per le quattro classi degli animali vertebrati. Tomo III. Pesci. Roma. Fasc. 12-14, puntata 59-79, 12 pls. See ref at BHL
Carvalho, M.R. de, Last, P.R. & Séret, B. 2016. Torpedo Rays. Family Torpedinidae. pp. 184-203 in Last, P.R., White, W.T., Carvalho, M.R. de, Séret, B., Stehmann, M.F.W. & Naylor, G.J.P. (eds). Rays of the World. Clayton South, Victoria : CSIRO Publishing 790 pp.
Compagno, L.J.V. & Last, P.R. 1999. Families Narkidae, Hypnidae, Torpedinidae. pp. 1443-1451 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 3 pp. 1397-2068, (as Torpedo macneilli)
Daley, R.K., Stevens, J.D., Last, P.R. & Yearsley, G.K. 2002. Field Guide to Australian Sharks & Rays. Hobart : CSIRO Marine Research 84 pp. (as Torpedo macneilli)
Dulvy, N.K. & Reynolds, J.D. 1997. Evolutionary transitions among egg-laying, live-bearing and maternal inputs in sharks and rays. Proc. R. Soc. Lond., Ser. B: Biol. Sci. 264: 1309-1315. (as Torpedo macneilli)
Ebert, D.A., Haas, D.L. & de Carvalho, M.R. 2015. Tetronarce cowleyi, sp. nov., a new species of electric ray from southern Africa (Chondrichthyes: Torpediniformes: Torpedinidae). Zootaxa 3936(2): 237-250. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3936.2.4
Finucci, B., Derrick, D., Dossa, J. & Williams, A.B. 2021. Tetronarce nobiliana. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T116861529A116861706. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-2.RLTS.T116861529A116861706.en. Accessed on 04 October 2022.
Fowler, H.W. 1941. Contributions to the biology of the Philippine Archipelago and adjacent regions. The fishes of the groups Elasmobranchii, Holocephali, Isospondyli and Ostariophysi obtained by the United States Bureau of Fisheries Steamer Albatross in 1907 to 1910, chiefly in the Philippine Islands and adjacent seas. Bulletin of the United States National Museum 100(13): 1-879 figs 1-30
Gomon, M.F. 2008. Families Torpedinidae to Rhinobatidae. pp. 101-107 in Gomon, M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp. (as Torpedo macneilli)
Hutton, F.W. 1872. Fishes of New Zealand. Catalogue with diagnoses of the species. Colonial Museum and Geological Survey Department. Wellington 1-93 + 95-133, Pls. 1-12. (described as Torpedo fairchildi, type locality Napier Harbor, New Zealand)
Last, P.R. 1994. Families Torpedinidae, Rajiidae, Rhinobatidae. pp. 154-172 figs 132-149 in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds). The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. Adelaide : State Printer 992 pp. 810 figs. (as Torpedo macneilli)
Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 1994. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Canberra : CSIRO Australia 513 pp. 84 pls. (as Torpedo macneilli)
Last, P.R. & Stevens, J.D. 2009. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Collingwood : CSIRO Publishing Australia 2, 550 pp. (as Torpedo macneilli)
Last, P.R. & Stewart, A.L. 2015. 29 Family Torpedinidae. pp. 169-171 in Roberts, C.D., Stewart, A.L. & Struthers, C.D. (eds). The Fishes of New Zealand. Wellington : Te Papa Press Vol. 2 pp. 1-576.
McCulloch, A.R. 1929. A check-list of the fishes recorded from Australia. Part I. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 5: 1–144 (as Narcobatus fairchildi)
McCulloch, A.R. 1919. Studies in Australian fishes, No. 5. Records of the Australian Museum 12(8): 171-177 figs 25-26. (as Torpedo fairchildi)
McKay, R.J. 1966. Studies on Western Australian sharks and rays of the families Scyliorhinidae, Urolophidae and Torpedinidae. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 49(3): 65-82 figs 1-6 (as Torpedo macneilli)
Paxton, J.R., Hoese, D.F., Allen, G.R. & Hanley, J.E. (eds) 1989. Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Pisces: Petromyzontidae to Carangidae. Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service Vol. 7 665 pp. (as Torpedo macneilli)
Stevens, J.D. 2009. Tetronarce macneilli. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2009: e.T161511A5439887. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009-2.RLTS.T161511A5439887.en. Downloaded on 23 November 2016.
Weigmann, S. 2016. Annotated checklist of the living sharks, batoids and chimaeras (Chondrichthyes) of the world, with a focus on biogeographical diversity. Journal of Fish Biology 88(3): 837-1037 https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.12874
Whitley, G.P. 1932. Studies in Ichthyology No. 6. Records of the Australian Museum 18(6): 321-348 figs 1-3 pls 36-39 (described as Notostrape macneilli, type locality - 9 miles east of Green Cape, New South Wales, Australia, depth 49 fathoms)
Whitley, G.P. 1940. The Fishes of Australia. Part 1. The sharks, rays, devil-fish, and other primitive fishes of Australia and New Zealand. Sydney : Roy. Zool. Soc. N.S.W. 280 pp. 303 figs. (as Torpedo macneilli)
