Habitat 
Depth 
Group 
Role WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
The common torpedo has a rounded thick disc and smooth skin. Brown upper colour often carries five blue ocelli ringed dark and pale, but numbers vary. Real eyes lie ahead of papillate spiracles. Two nearby dorsals and a terminal fin complete the robust tail. This differs from a stingray’s fine tail and barb.
WHERE DOES IT LIVE?
Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic soft bottoms, especially sand and sandy mud, provide habitat. Accounts extend from shallow water to 400 m. Burial and activity alter detectability.
WHAT DOES IT EAT?
Bottom fish are major food, supplemented by invertebrates. Lateral head organs use stacks of specialised cells to produce coordinated discharges for feeding and defence. A witnessed capture can be described, but a still image measures neither voltage nor current. Never seek contact to generate a discharge for illustration.
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