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Narcinidae

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iNumbfishes
Image:Lesser electric ray.jpg
Brazilian electric ray, Narcine brasiliensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subclass: Elasmobranchii
Order: Torpediniformes
Family: Narcinidae
Genera

Benthobatis
Crassinarke
Diplobatis
Discopyge
Heteronarce
Narcine
Narke
Temera
Typhlonarke
See text for species.

The numbfishes are a family, Narcinidae, of rays.<ref>Narcinidae (TSN 564006). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 20 March 2006.</ref><ref>"Narcinidae". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. January 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.</ref>

They are disc-shaped fishes, with a prominent caudal fin. They are bottom-dwelling fishes found in shallow waters in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.

They have electric organs in their head, used for sensing and for stunning prey. The electric shock that they can deliver gives them their name, from Greek narke meaning "paralysis". Narcinids don't generate such powerful voltages as the electric rays in the genus Torpedo, but have been measured at 8 to 37 volts.<ref>R. Aidan Martin. Electric Rays. Retrieved on 23 March, 2006.</ref>

[edit] Classification

In some systems Narcinidae is split into two, with the genera Narke, Typholonake, and Temera in the family Narkidae.<ref>R. Aidan Martin (1995). Biological Batteries. Retrieved on 23 March, 2006.</ref>

[edit] Species

There are about forty species in nine genera:

[edit] References

<references/>de:Narcinidae lt:Azijinės elektrinės rajos pl:Narcinidae

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