Ray
Marbled Electric Ray
Torpedo sinuspersici
A rounded, soft-bodied ray able to deliver a powerful electric shock, lying camouflaged on sandy patches around reefs.
Also known as electric ray, marbled torpedo ray, sidderrog, torpedo
- Typical size
- Commonly 30-60 cm across
- Habitat
- Sand and rubble patches near reefs
- Depth
- Around 5-50 m
The marbled electric ray has a soft, almost circular disc mottled in brown, cream and dark blotches that break up its outline against the bottom, with a short thick tail and rounded fins. Behind its pectoral disc it carries paired electric organs capable of generating a strong shock, used both to stun small prey and to deter predators.
It lies half-buried on sand and rubble near reefs along the KZN and Eastern Cape coast, ambushing small fish and invertebrates. Divers should treat it with genuine caution: a resting electric ray is easy to overlook and can deliver a jolt powerful enough to knock a person off balance, so never touch or handle one. Give it space and it poses no threat.