The Electric Ray: Nature’s Underwater Powerhouse

Deep on the ocean floor lives a strange and very interesting fish – the electric ray, a member of the torpedo fish family. Few people have ever seen it up close. Some call it the “spiny torpedo” because of its flat shape, which resembles a paddle decorated with spikes. Its body is flat with fins stretched out on either side like wings. Its width is nearly equal to its length, giving it a square appearance, and it moves by sweeping its fins forward and backward – not up and down like wings.

Its fins allow it to either dart quickly or bury itself in the sand when needed. This style of movement looks almost like gliding in the air, similar to “flying fish.” Its broad chest fins form a round, thick, disc-shaped body like a paddle, its tail is short, thick, and muscular, and its skin is smooth.

A Shock of Electricity

The electric ray is not the only member of this family. Other relatives include the guitarfish and manta ray. Though they differ in some details, they all generate electricity. When they want to catch prey or defend themselves, they release an electric current in the desired direction, stunning their target.

The electric ray produces the strongest discharge. Its chest muscles function as electric organs capable of generating up to 200 volts. This is done through special “batteries” built into its body. One shock is enough to paralyze its prey, which the ray then swallows at leisure. Electric rays typically live safely on the seabed, 200–400 meters deep, buried in sand or mud.

Like their relatives, electric rays differ from most fish in several ways. Their skeletons are made of cartilage rather than bone, and they have five to seven pairs of gill slits instead of the usual two. Their eyes sit deep and close together on their heads, while their nostrils are on the underside of their bodies. These nostrils look like eyes but actually function as tasting organs to sample food. Their diet includes small sea creatures such as crabs, snails, and fish.

The Manta Ray – The Gentle Giant

Most “electric fish” spend their time buried on the seabed, camouflaged in sand and mud. However, unlike its bottom-dwelling relatives, the manta spends hours swimming near the surface.

The manta is enormous, with a wingspan of several meters. Its name comes from the Spanish word for “cloak,” because its top looks like a huge black cape. Above its head are two lobes that funnel water into its mouth as it swims with powerful wing-like strokes. Inside the water it swallows are tiny plankton, which are filtered through gill combs into its stomach. Sometimes it also eats larger creatures such as fish, squid, and shrimp. Despite its intimidating size and shape, the manta is harmless to humans unless provoked.

Anchored Eggs

One of the most remarkable features of electric rays is the way they lay eggs. Unlike most fish, which release eggs directly into the water, female electric rays deposit their eggs in black cases made of a flexible, rubbery material. Each case is about 3.5 cm wide, with four horn-like corners. From these corners extend strings tipped with tiny hooks that anchor the case to the seabed like a natural anchor, preventing waves from washing it away.

The “incubation” period inside the egg case lasts about three weeks. On the 20th or 21st day, small holes open at the right time to let water in, allowing the baby ray to begin breathing before it hatches. If the holes open too early, the embryo can die, but if too late, it can suffocate. This precise timing is one of nature’s wonders.

Amazingly, the openings always form on the side opposite the anchoring threads, ensuring the baby ray won’t get tangled as it emerges. The young ray’s fins, folded tightly inside, unfold to three times the width of its egg case once it swims free. Scientists have found that the egg case opens exactly when the yolk is consumed, ensuring the hatchling is ready to feed in the open sea.

When the time is right, the case opens and the baby ray glides away, truly “like a fish in water.”