Common names
Dunkler Zitterrochen, Schwarzer Zitterrochen, Zitterrochen, Esturpillo, Temblador de mar, Temblaera, Torpedo de lo alto, Torpedo del Atlántico, Tremblador negro, Tremolina negra, Trimielga negra, Vaca temblaera, Torpille, Torpille noire, Torpille noire stupéfiante, Atlantic New British torpedo, Atlantic electric ray, Atlantic torpedo, Black torpedo, Crampfish, Dark electric ray, Electric ray, Electricfish, Great torpedo, Numbfish, Torpedo, Sgranfo, Torpedine nera, Tremolo grando, Tremula "mpiriale, Tremula nira, Arrraia, Raia, Torpedo, Tremelga, Tremelga-negra

Short Description
Large ray with a huge, paddle-shaped caudal fin and with no papillae around spiracles. Shiny black or dark grey above, underside white [536]. Broad subcircular disc, short snout anterior to the eyes. Smooth skin, short thick tail [199]. Dark chocolate to purplish brown above, without spots, white below, but with edges of disc and pelvic fins of same hue as upper surface, tail with irregular dark margins [199].

Distribution
Eastern Atlantic: Scotland (rare in North Sea) to Morocco, whole of Mediterranean, but not Black Sea; Cap Blanc in Mauritania to Gulf of Guinea, São Tomé Island; Walvis Bay, Namibia to Mossel Bay, South Africa [536]. Western Atlantic: Nova Scotia, Canada south to Brazil [20078]. Source: www.gbif.org

Human uses
fisheries: of no interest

Biology
Exhibit ovoviparity (aplacental viviparity), with embryos feeding initially on yolk, then receiving additional nourishment from the mother by indirect absorption of uterine fluid enriched with mucus, fat or protein through specialised structures [733]. With up to 60 in a litter. Gestation period one year [1658]. Size at birth about 23 cm [1658]. Juveniles benthic over soft bottoms or near coral reefs [1658] from 10-150 m; adults are semi-pelagic to pelagic, swimming in the water column and have been reported to migrate over long distances [7182]. Feeds mainly on pelagic and benthic bony fishes, small sharks [536] and benthic crustaceans (Ref. 58748).

Size / Weight / Age
180 cm TL (male/unsexed; [7182]); max. published weight: 90.0 kg [17658]

Habitat
benthopelagic; oceanodromous; marine; depth range 2 - 800 m (Ref. 35509), usually 10 - 150 m [20241]

Remarks
shark-references Species-ID=10087;

Parasites (arranged by Jürgen Pollerspöck)
Monogenea

• Amphibdella cuticulovagina Dillon & Hargis, 1965 [16602]
• Amphibdella flavolineata Maccallum, 1916 [23941] [15273] [17205]
• Amphibdelloides maccallumi (Johnston & Tiegs, 1922) Price, 1937 [23941] [16602] [15273] [17205]

Cestoda

• Anthocephalum gracile (Wedl, 1855) [16443]
• Calyptrobothrium minus Linton, 1907 [7409]
• Calyptrobothrium occidentale Linton, 1900 [16245] [16602] [7409]
• Calyptrobothrium riggii Monticelli, 1893 [16245] [16443] [16602]
• Grillotia acanthoscolex Rees, 1944 [16303] [16112]
• Grillotia erinaceus (Van Beneden, 1858) [16112]
• Grillotia sp. [16112]
• Hepatoxylon trichiuri (Holten, 1802) [16602] [16112]
• Heteronybelinia sp. [16112]
• Lacistorhynchus tenuis (Van Beneden, 1858) [16112]
• Nybelinia sp. [16112] [16112]

Trematoda

• Otodistomum veliporum (Creplin, 1837) Stafford, 1904 [16602]

Nematoda

• Anisakis sp. [16602]
• Contracaecum (Thynnascaris) sp. [16602]

Copepoda

• Echthrogaleus torpedinis Wilson, 1907 [15303] [27172]
• Eudactylina acuta Van Beneden, 1853 [16609]
• Pandarus floridanus Cressey, 1967 [16606]