THE ULTIMATE ANGLING BUCKET LIST

The value of these organs to the electric ray is two fold. Foremost, it is a means of capturing and
subduing their prey. They feed on quite a large variety of small bottom loving fishes which are
smothered then stunned, thus rendering them much more manageable.
The organs are also used for defensive purposes, though their power diminishes rapidly with each
discharge due to the time required between usages to recharge the system.
Also known as the Atlantic torpedo ray, the dark electric ray, or just simply the electric ray, is the largest
growing and most northerly ranging of the three electric ray species known in European waters. Sand
and mud at depths of between thirty and one hundred and fifty feet are generally favoured.
In this case, additional features other than shape to look out for are a first dorsal fin that is very much
larger than the second, and a lack of papillae (small growths) reaching into the aperture of the spiracles,
these being the breathing holes close to the eyes on the top side, growths which the marbled electric ray
has.
Colouration on the top side is an unmarked deep brown to slatey blue. The underside is cream with a
darker edging suggestive of the upper surface shade. A fish with a recorded distribution on the west
coast of the country as far northwards as the Shetland Islands.
Not a species I suspect you could ever actively target, particularly as it is thought to be predominantly
nocturnal. As with the rarer and very much smaller growing marbled electric ray, they are very
occasionally caught on rod and line, presumably using the same sorts of tactics likely to catch all rays
such as a fish or squid bait on a four to six foot heavy monofilament flowing trace.
One of those fish which simply happens along infrequently, particularly from the Channel Islands and
up along the south coast, with both the boat and the shore records coming from Cornish waters, the boat
record being not too far short of one hundred pounds.
Also recorded in Irish waters from around Achill Island, and in Wales from Anglesey, this is most
definitely a fish which it pays to know how to identify, if only to avoid inappropriate handling.
Otherwise you could be in for a nasty shock......quite literally.
MARBLED ELECTRIC RAY Torpedo marmorata
Bucket List status – no result yet
Similar in shape to the dark electric ray
described above, but in this case with the
six to eight papillae, which are small
conspicuous growths around and
extending in to each spiracle, this being the
breathing aperture situated on top of the
head close to the eye.
Top side colouration and markings are
some variant on mottled or marbled brown
through to cream with a cream coloured
underside, the edges of which are tinged
with the darker base colour, though not the
markings of the upper side.
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