Australian Biological Resources Study

Australian Faunal Directory

Narcinidae

Narcinidae

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CAAB: 37028000

Family NARCINIDAE

Numbfishes


Compiler and date details

22 April 2011 - Douglass F. Hoese, John R. Paxton, Jennifer E. Gates & Dianne J. Bray

Introduction

The family Narcinidae, as recognised here, includes four genera and 17 species (Last & Stevens 2009), although Nelson (2006) includes nine genera and over 26 species, many placed in separate families here.

The Australian fauna includes one genus and five species, all treated in Last & Stevens (1994; 2009) and Carvalho et al. (1999).

Numbfishes are sluggish bottom dwellers found from the intertidal zone to more than 1000 m. They are very thick in the body where the vertical columns of cells making up the electric organs are located. The powerful electric shock generated by numbfishes is used both for defence and to stun prey. The skin lacks denticles and the short tail lacks spines. Maximum length is 47 cm.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
16-Apr-2012 04-Aug-2014 MODIFIED
11-Mar-2010 MODIFIED