atlantic torpedo ( tetronarce nobiliana ) is a species of electric ray in the family torpedinidae .

it is found in the atlantic ocean , from nova scotia to brazil in the west and from scotland to west africa and off southern africa in the east , occurring at depths of up to 800 m ( 2,600 ft ) .

younger individuals generally inhabit shallower , sandy or muddy habitats , whereas adults are more pelagic in nature and frequent open water .

up to 1.8 m ( 6 ft ) long and weighing 90 kg ( 200 lb ) , the atlantic torpedo is the largest known electric ray .

like other members of its genus , it has an almost circular pectoral fin disk with a nearly straight leading margin , and a robust tail with a large triangular caudal fin .

distinctive characteristics include its uniform dark color , smooth-rimmed spiracles ( paired respiratory openings behind the eyes ) , and two dorsal fins of unequal size .

solitary and nocturnal , the atlantic torpedo is capable of generating up to 220 volts of electricity to subdue its prey or defend itself against predators .

its diet consists mainly of bony fishes , though it also feeds on small sharks and crustaceans .

it is an aplacental viviparous species , wherein the developing embryos are nourished by yolk and later maternally provided histotroph ( " uterine milk " ) .

females give birth to up to 60 young following a gestation period of one year .

the electric shock of this species can be quite severe and painful , though it is not fatal .

because of its electrogenic properties , the atlantic torpedo was used in medicine by the ancient greeks and romans and became the namesake of the naval weapon .

prior to the 19th century , its liver oil was used as lamp fuel , but it is no longer of any economic value .

the international union for conservation of nature ( iucn ) has listed this species as data deficient ; it is caught unintentionally by commercial and recreational fishers , but the impact of these activities on its population is unknown .

atlantic torpedo

atlantic torpedo <EOT> the common torpedo was originally described by linnaeus as raja torpedo in 1758 tenth edition of his systema naturae . in 1838 , it placed under the torpedo genus and assigned its currently valid scientific name of torpedo torpedo by bonaparte ( linnaeus 1838 ) . synonyms include torpedo narce risso 1810 , torpedo narke risso 1810 , torpedo ocellata rafinesque 1810 , torpedo unimaculata risso 1810 and torpedo oculata davy 1834 . torpedo is the roman name referring to electric rays with the latin origin , torpere , meaning " to be numb " .

scalloped hammerhead shark ( sphyrna lewini ) and atlantic torpedo ray ( tetronarce nobiliana ) . photo by jan factor .

the atlantic torpedo has a diet consisting of crustaceans , mollusks , worms , as well as other invertebrates and fishes .

the common torpedo resides in the eastern atlantic ocean in the southern bay of biscay and throughout the mediterranean to angola .

the electric organs of the atlantic torpedo are capable of producing 220 volts of electricity , partially due to the large size attained by this species . however , the atlantic torpedo has not been known to seriously injure humans in its natural environment .

abdel - aziz , s . h . 1994 . observations on the biology of the common torpedo ( torpedo torpedo , linnaeus , 1758 ) and marbled electric ray ( torpedo marmorata , risso , 1810 ) from egyptian mediterranean waters . australian journal of marine and freshwater research 45 ( 4 ) : 693 - 704 .

the atlantic torpedo occurs on both side of the north atlantic ocean . in the northwest atlantic , it ranges from nova scotia south to florida and the northern gulf of mexico . in the eastern atlantic , it ranges from northern scotland to tropical west africa , including the mediterranean . this species is not common in the canadian atlantic as it is primarily a warmer water species ; however , strays are occasionally captured , especially during the summer months .

after seeing the pictures of the discovery , new england aquarium media relations director tony lacasse told wbz - tv the man had come across an atlantic torpedo ray .

torpedo ray / electric ray . . . . . raie torpille / raie electrique ! .

oceanic whitetip first shark listed as “threatened” in the continental u . s . atlantic

torpedo rays are only seen in the boston area a few times each summer , lacasse said .

common torpedo grow to a maximum total length of 23 . 6 inches . photo © george burgess

urltoken copyright ( c ) 2018 by the atlantic monthly group . all rights reserved .

the electric shock from the common torpedo is quite strong but is not life - threatening to humans .

[ 57 ] this torpedo is also reported from the florida keys and from cuba but on doubtful evidence .

…the shocks of the species torpedo nobiliana were used as a treatment for gout , headache , and other maladies .

parasites known parasites of the common torpedo include the tapeworm phyllobothrium lactuca and the monogeneans amphibdella paronaperugiae and amphibdelloides benhassinae .

like most batoids , the atlantic torpedo is a bottom - dwelling fish inhabiting muddy or sandy bottom ecosystems , usually in shallow water areas but reaching depths of 60 fathoms . individuals often lie partially buried in the substrate .

did a huge glowing sea creature help push the u . s . into the vietnam war ? - the atlantic

stegeman jj . hepatic microsomal monooxygenase activity and biotransformation of hydrocarboms in deep benthic fish from the western north atlantic .

on this day in 1917 , germany announces the renewal of unrestricted submarine warfare in the atlantic as german torpedo - armed submarines prepare to attack any and all ships , including civilian passenger carriers , said to be sighted in war - zone waters .

the battle of the atlantic , from 1939 to 1945 , was the longest continuous battle of the second world war .

rarely utilised . historically , in adriatic sea , torpedo marmorata was sold smoked although its meat was of the lowest commercial value ( ninni 1912 ) .

lacasse said it is not a sting ray , and is instead is the only electric ray in this part of the atlantic ocean .

in a wonderful passage from fishes of the gulf of maine , bigelow and schroeder provide perspective on the historical abundance of atlantic herring .

this species has a wide distribution in the atlantic ocean . western atlantic : from nova scotia , canada , south to brazil . eastern atlantic : from scotland ( rare in north sea ) , south to morocco , including the mediterranean sea , and from mauritania to the gulf of guinea , and namibia to mossel bay in south africa ( whitehead et al . 1984 , florida museum of natural history ) .

kidd rb , huggett qj . rock debris on abyssal plains in the northeast atlantic : a comparison of epibenthic sledge hauls and photographic surveys .

van der vat d . the atlantic campaign : the great struggle at sea , 1939–1945 . 1988 . 424 hodder & stoughton , london .

atlantic bluefin tunas have streamlined bodies built for speed and endurance . they can even retract their dorsal and pectoral fins into slots to reduce drag .

w . a . b . douglas . 2010 . battle of the atlantic . the canadian encyclopedia urltoken ( accessed july 9 , 2018 ) .

in the english language , this ray is commonly referred to as pacific electric ray , torpedo , pacific torpedo , and electric ray . in other languages , common names include californisk darrocka ( swedish ) , raya electrica ( spanish ) , pazifischer zitterrochen ( german ) , dretwa kalifornijska ( polish ) , and pacifische sidderrog ( dutch ) .

the atlantic torpedo is easily recognizable from other species of batoid inhabiting the northwest atlantic due to its subcircular , disc - shaped body formed partially by its pectorals which attach anteriorly to either side of the head , extending beyond the eyes . other distinguishing characteristics include its stout tail , which is either as long as or shorter than its body ; and its distinct head , which contains powerful electric organs visible as large , kidney - shaped patches on sides of head that are capable of producing extremely painful shocks . the atlantic torpedo has a small mouth filled with small , rounded teeth , with some having sharp cusps ; small , almost absent , eyes ; and skin that is naked , soft , and loose . the dorsal ( x 2 ) and caudal fins of the atlantic torpedo are well - developed , with the first dorsal larger than the second and located partially posterior to the pelvic fins . coloration varies from uniform ( or slightly spotted ) dark - chocolate brown to nearly slate - gray or black on the dorsal surface , with the ventral surface being white edged with light brown .

the waters off the north carolina coast are known as the graveyard of the atlantic and torpedo junction . here , dozens of ships — mostly merchant vessels — were sunk by german u - boats . the national oceanic and atmospheric administration ( noaa ) estimates that from january to august 1942 , more than 50 vessels were lost to the u - boat assault . the remains of those ships , along with several u - boats , rest on the atlantic ocean seafloor .

hareide n - r , garnes g . the distribution and catch rates of deep water fish along the mid - atlantic ridge from 43°n to 61°n .

the torpedo , like others of its tribe , is a bottom fish . it is a fish eater . the stomach of one taken at woods hole contained a summer flounder (

due to their great abundance , the atlantic herring became one of the most important and sought after fish species in the gulf of maine . they still are .

prince ed , luo j , goodyear lp , hoolihan jp , snodgrass d , et al . ocean scale hypoxia - based habitat compression of atlantic istiophorid billfishes .

on january 31 , 1917 , germany announces the renewal of unlimited submarine warfare in the atlantic , and german torpedo - armed submarines prepare to attack any and all ships , including civilian passenger carriers , said to be sited in war - zone waters . three days later , the united states broke diplomatic relations with germany , and just . . .

justification : the spotted torpedo ( torpedo marmorata ) seems to have a wide distribution throughout the eastern atlantic ocean and the mediterranean sea . its life history traits are relatively well known , however its abundance and possible threats faced by this species are not well known throughout its range . trawl survey data indicate that this species is more common that other torpedo species in the northern mediterranean sea and may be increasing in coastal waters of italy . little is known of population trends or the impact of fisheries off western africa and throughout the rest of its range , where demersal trawl effort is high . therefore it is assessed as data deficient globally at present , until information on its population status can be obtained from throughout its range .

justification : the great torpedo ray ( torpedo nobiliana ) has a relatively wide range in the atlantic ocean , including the mediterranean sea . adults are frequently pelagic or semi - pelagic , from near the surface to 800 m depth , whereas juveniles are mainly benthic living on soft - substrate and coral reef habitat in shallower water . very little data are available on population or catch trends , although surveys suggest that this species is rare in the mediterranean sea . when caught , torpedo rays are usually discarded at sea , resulting in very little data on catches of these species . the great torpedo ray is caught with bottom trawls and line gear and further research is required to determine the impact of fishing activities on the species . destruction and degradation of the species ' shallow water nursery grounds may threaten juveniles . at present this species is assessed as data deficient globally due to very little information on catches and population trends .

justification : this electric ray occurs in the eastern atlantic , from the southern bay of biscay , south to angola and in the mediterranean sea . the ocellate torpedo ( torpedo torpedo ) is primarily coastal , found in inshore waters , although occasionally found to depths of > 300 m . the species is apparently more common in southern mediterranean waters than in the northern mediterranean . trawl survey data available from the northern mediterranean indicate that the ocellate torpedo is less common than other torpedo species in this area . few data are currently available from throughout the rest of the species’ range . this species is taken as bycatch in demersal fisheries , including coastal artisanal fisheries , trawls and trammel nets , although no specific data are available on its capture and it is most likely discarded at sea . post discard survival may be relatively high because it is often caught in shallow waters . at present insufficient data are available to assess this species beyond data deficient globally . demersal fishing pressure is relatively intensive in large areas of its range and there is a need to further investigate the impact of fisheries and habitat pressures on this species .

capapé , c . 1979 . the marble ray , torpedo marmorata risso 1810 ( pisces , rajiformes ) of the tunisian coasts : new data on ecology and biology of reproduction of the species with a comparison between mediterranean and atlantic populations . ann . sci . nat . zool . , biol . anim . 1 ( 2 ) : 79 - 97 .

eastern central and southeast atlantic ocean : recorded from senegal to angola ( cadenat et al . 1978 , capapé and desoutter 1990 , carvalho and séret in press ) .

w . a . b . douglas , r . the canadian encyclopedia . ( 2010 ) . battle of the atlantic . retrieved july 9 , 2018 , from urltoken

copley jtp , jorgensen pbk , sohn ra . assessment of decadal - scale ecological change at a mid - atlantic hydrothermal vent and reproductive time - series in the shrimp

predators potential predators include larger marine fish such as sharks especially in cooler waters where it is unknown if the common torpedo ' s electric organs are able to discharge a charge to deter predators .

douglas , w . & dubreuil , b . . r . the canadian encyclopedia . ( 2010 ) . battle of the atlantic . retrieved july 9 , 2018 from urltoken

douglas , w . a . b . and dubreuil , brian . 2010 . battle of the atlantic . the canadian encyclopedia urltoken ( accessed july 9 , 2018 ) .

w . a . b . douglas . " battle of the atlantic " in the canadian encyclopedia . historica canada , 1985– . article published april 25 , 2010 . urltoken

in recognition of canada’s substantial role , the allies put the entire northwest atlantic — from nova scotia to the arctic circle — under canadian control . rear admiral leonard murray was named commander - in - chief , canadian northwest atlantic . he was the only canadian to command an allied theatre of conflict in either the first or second world wars .

this species is captured in demersal fisheries , including bottom trawls , trammel nets , and artisanal coastal fisheries . even though it is edible , it is landed in very few fisheries and is most often discarded at sea . post discard survival may be relatively high because it is often caught in shallow waters . torpedo torpedo appears to be consistently present in the demersal catch of fisheries on northern mediterranean shores . no information is currently available on catches throughout the rest of the species’ range in the eastern atlantic , although inshore fishing pressure is relatively intensive across large areas of this range .

canada declared war on germany a week later , on 10 september 1939 . immediately , canada’s navy , merchant marine and air force were thrust into the battle of the atlantic .

eastern atlantic : scotland ( rare in north sea ) to morocco , whole of mediterranean , but not black sea ; cap blanc in mauritania to gulf of guinea , são tomé island ; walvis bay , namibia to mossel bay , south africa ( ref . 5578 ) . western atlantic : nova scotia , canada south to brazil ( ref . 26340 ) .

eastern atlantic and mediterranean sea : from the northern uk , south to cape of good hope , south africa , and throughout the mediterranean sea ( whitehead et al . 1984 ) .

w . a . b . douglas and brian dubreuil . " battle of the atlantic . " in the canadian encyclopedia . historica canada , 1985— . article published april 26 , 2010

w . a . b . douglas " battle of the atlantic " the canadian encyclopedia . eds . . toronto : historica canada , 2010 . web . 9 jul . 2018 .

the pacific electric ray is one of 14 described species of electric rays , but is the only species limited to the west coast of the us . the species was first described as torpedo californica by ayres in 1855 , but was later placed in the genus tetronarce by gill in 1861 . the animal was ultimately returned to its previous genus and is currently known as torpedo californica . its genus name , torpedo , comes from the latin word ' torpidus ' meaning numbness in reference to the effect of the electric organ . the species name , californica , denotes where the animal was first discovered - the state of california ( u . s . ) .

douglas , w . a . b . and brian dubreuil . " battle of the atlantic " . the canadian encyclopedia . toronto : historica canada , 2010 . web . 26 apr 2010 .

peele er , singleton fl , deming jw , cavari b , colwell rr . effects of pharmaceutical wastes on microbial populations in surface waters at the puerto rico dump site in the atlantic ocean .

bailey dm , collins ma , gordon jdm , zuur af , priede ig . long - term changes in deep - water fish populations in the northeast atlantic : a deeper reaching effect of fisheries ?

benn a , weaver pp , billett dsm , van den hove s , murdock ap , et al . human activities on the deep seafloor in the north east atlantic : an assessment of spatial extent .

mellinger , j . 1971 . croissance et reproduction de la torpille ( torpedo marmorata ) . i . introduction écologie , croissance générale et dimorphisme sexuel , cycle , fécondité . bull . biol . fr . belgique 105 : 165 - 218 .

although the common torpedo is edible , it is typically discarded when taken as bycatch in commercial and artisanal fisheries . due to its shallow water habitats , the common torpedo often survives being captured and discarded . it is susceptible to demersal fishing gear such as bottom trawls and trammel nets and although fishing pressure is intense within its geographic range , there is no specific data on this species . this species can be maintained in aquariums , however it requires a supply of live fish for food .

the battle of the atlantic , from 1939 to 1945 , was the longest continuous battle of the second world war . canada played a key role in the allied struggle for control of the north atlantic , as german submarines worked furiously to cripple the convoys shipping crucial supplies to europe . victory was costly : more than 70 , 000 allied seamen , merchant mariners and airmen lost their lives , including 4 , 600 canadians .

the common torpedo is currently listed as data deficient with the world conservation union ( iucn ) . the iucn is a global union of states , governmental agencies , and non - governmental organizations in a partnership that assesses the conservation status of species .

in the north pacific ocean the pacific herring , clupea pallasii , closely resembles our atlantic species , clupea harengus . while morphologically similar , there are some differences in their life histories . atlantic herring spawn in the spring and fall whereas pacific herring are strictly spring spawners . pallasii is the latinized last name of petrus simon pallas , a russian naturalist and explorer who first described the pacific species during his travels in the north pacific .

wigham b , hudson i , billett dsm , wolff ga . is long - term change in the abyssal northeast atlantic driven by qualitative changes in export flux ? evidence from selective feeding in deep - sea holothurians .

the atlantic bluefin tuna is one of the largest , fastest , and most gorgeously colored of all the world’s fishes . their torpedo - shaped , streamlined bodies are built for speed and endurance . their coloring—metallic blue on top and shimmering silver - white on the bottom—helps camouflage them from above and below . and their voracious appetite and varied diet pushes their average size to a whopping 6 . 5 feet in length and 550 pounds , although much larger specimens are not uncommon .

many of these attacks took place in an area of the mid - atlantic that became known as the “black pit” — a stretch of ocean beyond the range of allied aircraft tasked with providing aerial coverage for the convoys .

atlantic menhaden migrate north from the mid - atlantic states in the summer and , in some years , are very abundant in the gulf of maine . schools of menhaden can be so abundant that when they crowd into warm , shallow , inshore waters , or are forced in by predatory bluefish , they use up all the oxygen in the water and die . the last time this happened in maine was in the early 1990 ' s .

eastern atlantic , including mediterranean sea : occurs from the southern bay of biscay ( records as far north as belgium are questionable ) , south to angola . also occurs throughout the mediterranean sea ( whitehead et al . 1984 ) .

whitehead , p . j . p . , bauchot , m . - l . , hureau , j . and tortonese e . 1984 . fishes of the northeastern atlantic and the mediterranean , vol . i . unesco , paris .

the marbled electric ray , also known as the marbled torpedo ray , is one of many ray species that will literally leave prey in shock . equipped with electric organs , this ray is an advanced ambush predator whose mottled skin color renders it nearly invisible to unsuspecting eyes .

for the most part , herring in the gulf of maine are similar in appearance . upon closer examination , there are some notable differences among these species ; for example , the narrow atlantic round herring is 1 / 6 deep as long while the deep - bodied hickory shad can be 1 / 3 deep as it is long . [ 3 ] some are entirely marine species while others are anadromous river herring . in total , there are nine herring species in the gulf , including the commonly found atlantic herring , blueback herring , alewife , american shad , and atlantic menhaden . less common are the atlantic thread herring , round herring and hickory shad . gizzard shad have invaded some rivers and possibly estuaries in the gulf of maine region . according to bigelow and schroeder , co - authors of fishes of the gulf of maine , hickory shad were at one time caught in a number of rivers in the gulf of maine , which is the northern extreme of their range .

what distinguishes atlantic herring from all other herring and , in fact , all other fish species in the gulf of maine , is their great abundance . linneaeus ( the father of modern classification ) referred to the herring as " copiosissimus piscis , " or , in other words , the most prolific of fish . [ 4 ] count the individual fish in the gulf of maine - ( a task akin to counting the ants in portland , maine ) - and the atlantic herring vastly outnumbers the other species .

the atlantic herring is a relatively small fish that schools in waters of northern latitudes , filtering plankton from the water . in contrast , the tropical wolf herring grows up to a meter in length and is a voracious predator of fish , including other herring species .

many of those who died have no gravesite — their bodies were lost to the atlantic . their names are commemorated on the sailors’ memorial in point pleasant park in halifax . their sacrifice is also honoured in special ceremonies held every year on the first sunday in may .

. on a global scale , most deep - sea bottom trawling happens on sedimentary slopes . in the ospar area ( northeastern atlantic ) , the spatial extent of bottom trawling is orders of magnitude greater than that of submarine cables , waste disposal and oil and gas exploitation

this british ocean liner traveled the route between liverpool , england and new york city , including a port of call at queenstown , ( now cobh ) ireland . during world war i , the ship was hit by a german torpedo on may 7 , 1915 , and then sank within just 18 minutes of being hit .

to begin probing the living communities of the sites , last year scientists conducted biological and ecological investigations on four world war ii shipwrecks ( the keshena , city of atlanta , dixie arrow and em clark ) , as part of noaa ' s battle of the atlantic research project .

. the most common litter types found on the deep–sea floor in the mediterranean and northeastern atlantic are soft plastic ( e . g . bags ) , hard plastic ( e . g . bottles , containers ) , glass and metal ( e . g . tins , cans ) (

this small torpedo has an oval pectoral disc with a straight edge at the very front , an elongated body with rounded pelvic fins , and two small dorsal fins set back on its stout tail near its triangular caudal ( tail ) fin . it is white underneath , and reddish brown on top , with five dark blue spots ringed with dark and light accents . the solitary nocturnal fish scavenges the shallow coastal sea floor for crustaceans and bony fish , using the kidney - shaped electric organs on either side of its head to stun its prey . although it can only shock a human , because of its shallow habitat , caution should be used when possibly interacting with this torpedo .

the most interesting thing about the torpedo is its ability to give electric shocks of considerable strength to anyone touching it . the statement , even , has long been current that the shock from a large one in rested condition may be strong enough to throw a full grown man to the ground . and the story is told of a dog which was in the habit of wading on a cape cod beach in shoal water to catch flounders , but was so shocked by a torpedo that it ran away howling and could never be persuaded to go fishing again . in fact , this anecdote antedates the scientific naming of the new england torpedo . but shocks of a strength even approaching what is suggested by such reports are to be expected only from torpedos of the largest size in rested condition . the voltage recorded recently was 170 to 220 for one that had been kept in a live well . and the most we have felt ourselves from medium - sized torpedos lying on the dock at woods hole has been a slight benumbing sensation .

both sides of the north atlantic [ 56 ] from southern nova scotia ( la have bank ) , bay of fundy , and georges bank to north carolina in the west ; [ 57 ] and from northern scotland to the mediterranean , azores , madeira , and tropical west africa in the east .

froescheis o , looser r , cailliet gm , jarman wm , ballschmiter k . the deep sea as a final global sink of semi - volatile persistent pollutants ? part i : pcbs in surface and deep - dwelling fish o the north and south atlantic and the monterey bay canyon ( california ) .

looser r , froescheis o , cailliet gm , jarman wm , ballschmiter k . the deep sea as a final global sink of semi - volatile persistent pollutants ? part ii : organochlorine pesticides in surface and deep - dwelling fish o the north and south atlantic and the monterey bay canyon ( california ) .

century and , for the next 150 years , one of the main waste products of steam power was a hard residue of burnt coal called clinker . this material was usually dumped over the ship ' s side . in a survey on the nodule - free abyssal plain in the northeastern atlantic , kidd and huggett

on this day in 1953 , flooding in the north sea kills more than 1 , 500 people in the netherlands and destroys 1 million acres of farmland . the storm also caused death and destruction in great britain and belgium . the storm began in the north atlantic and moved slowly toward the british isles . . .

) ( bini 1967 ) . the medits trawl survey covers the north mediterranean coast almost continuously from western morocco and spain in the west mediterranean to the aegean sea in the eastern mediterranean . a total of 6 , 336 tows were performed during 1994 - 1999 in depths ranging from 10 - 800 m . torpedo marmorata occurred in 317 of 6 , 336 hauls ( baino

the name as allocated to the southern african material is provisional . work underway suggests that there may be a tropical species from off southern mozambique that is more similar to true t . nobiliana from the north atlantic than to specimens from namibia and the cape . work is underway to clarify the taxonomy of the indian ocean species .

bluefins attain their enormous size by gorging themselves almost constantly on smaller fish , crustaceans , squid , and eels . they will also filter - feed on zooplankton and other small organisms and have even been observed eating kelp . the largest tuna ever recorded was an atlantic bluefin caught off nova scotia that weighed 1 , 496 pounds .

herring are pelagic , fish that inhabit the open sea and offshore banks for most of their lives . young juveniles ( " brit " ) are numerous in inshore waters along the maine coast in the spring and summer . adults migrate across hundreds of miles of ocean during their life span . in the winter , schools of migrating atlantic herring can join forces , forming massive expanses of fish as far as the eye can see . in the north atlantic , people have observed herring schools measuring up to 4 . 5 billion cubic meters ( over 4 cubic kilometers ) in volume , with densities of up to 1 fish per cubic meter . [ 5 ]

it bears " living " young , but there is no placental connection between embryo and mother . and it seems that the young are born offshore , for the smallest torpedo yet recorded from american inshore waters ( from new jersey ) was about 2 feet ( 610 mm . ) long . and we doubt if it succeeds in producing young in the colder waters of our gulf .

presumably taken as bycatch in demersal trawl fisheries . intensive artisanal fisheries and industrial trawl fisheries operate within this species’ known range and although torpedo rays are of little commercial value , they still suffer fishing mortality as bycatch . fisheries off western africa have undergone huge development during the past 20 years , in terms of numbers of boats and improvement of gear ( walker et al . 2005 ) .

) . observations from submersibles at depths of 1000–2000 m on the southern california margin reveal that litter , in the form of torpedo wire , plastic bags and miscellaneous items ( shoes , furniture , naval debris , etc . ) is the primary source of solid substrata at bathyal depths in this region ( cr smith , pers . obs . from about 50 submersible and rov dives ) (

in the mediterranean sea , this species is more common along the northern african ( southern mediterranean ) coasts . surveys in the northern mediterranean sea suggest that it is uncommon and less abundant than t . marmorata there . standardized index of abundance in italian ‘grund’ trawl surveys ranged from 0 . 01 to 0 . 1 specimens per hour ( ferretti unpublished analyses ) . torpedo torpedo was recorded in 28 of 6 , 336 hauls conducted during medits trawl surveys in the northern mediterranean sea , from 1994 - 1999 at depths of 10 - 800 m ( baino et al . 2001 ) . the species is rare around the balearic islands . in some regions t . torpedo was recorded in the past but now are under detectable levels by trawl surveys . for example in the adriatic sea ( northern mediterranean ) , it was reported as rare in species lists but has not been recorded in recent trawl surveys ( ninni , 1912 , jukic - peladic et al . 2001 ) . the species has been recorded in trawl surveys along the western coast of africa ( gulyugin et al . 2006 ) , but virtually no other information is currently available from throughout the rest of the species range .

the first shots on the atlantic were fired on 3 september 1939 , just hours after britain formally declared war on germany . off the coast of ireland , a german submarine , u - 30 , torpedoed the ss athenia , a passenger ship en route to montréal with more than 1 , 400 passengers and crew on board ; 112 people were killed , including 4 canadians .

justification : mediterranean regional assessment : least concern ( lc ) the great torpedo ray ( tetronarce nobiliana ) is a widespread , large ( up to 180 cm total length ) electric ray . adults are pelagic and / or semi - pelagic , swimming in the water column at depths of zero to 800 m , whereas juveniles are mainly benthic and live on soft substrate and reef habitat in shallower water . this electric ray is caught incidentally in bottom trawls and line gear in the mediterranean sea , and usually discarded at sea , resulting in limited catch data ; very little catch data are available from scientific trawl surveys either . given that this is a widespread pelagic species that is rarely caught in fisheries , the great torpedo ray is assessed as least concern in mediterranean waters . further research is required to assess the effect of fishing activities on the population and identify important habitats .

this type of coloration ( " countershading " ) is common in pelagic species of fish , as it provides a degree of camouflage in open waters . if viewed at close range , the atlantic herring can be positively identified by its conspicuous cluster of small teeth arranged in an oval shape on the roof of its mouth . no other herring species possesses this distinctive circle of teeth .

the torpedo is more common south and west from cape cod than to the northward and eastward . but it strays past the elbow of the cape often enough for it to be classed as a regular member of the gulf of maine fish fauna . the most northeasterly records for it are of one presumably of this species taken in st . margarets bay , nova scotia , some 30 years ago ; one caught on a long line set for cod

two nights after the august 2 attack , a storm struck . the black sea blended with the black sky , obscuring a horizon of heavy waves . crews aboard the two destroyers thought they detected small , fast - moving vessels that mimicked the attack patterns of the north vietnamese torpedo boats . for several hours , the two ships defended themselves , performing high - speed evasive maneuvers , firing almost 650 cannon shells and several depth charges into salty darkness .

perhaps the best - known maritime tragedy of all time , the rms titanic was a passenger liner that sank in the north atlantic ocean on april 15 , 1912 , after colliding with an iceberg during her maiden voyage from southampton , uk to new york city , us . the sinking of titanic caused the deaths of 1 , 514 people in the third deadliest non - military maritime disaster in history .

food habits adult common torpedos feed primarily on benthic bony fish such as soles , herring , gobies , mullet , goatfish , porgies , dragonets , and jack mackerels . in addition , they are also known to occasionally eat crustaceans and even skates . in contrast , juveniles feed on a variety of marine invertebrates . this species is solitary and nocturnal , living along the ocean floor often buried in sediments as it waits in hiding . as an ambush predator , it pounces on its prey and stuns it in a fraction of a second with an electrical current . once the prey is stunned , the torpedo swallows it whole . the common torpedo can use its pair of large electric organs to stun prey and deter threats . each organ is comprised of 400 - 500 columns that contain jelly - filled disks referred to as " electroplaques " . these columns work together and are capable of discharging up to 200 volts either singly or in bursts .

the torpedo is of no commercial value nowadays , but its liver oil was considered equal to the best sperm for illuminating purposes before the use of kerosene oil was general . there is an old tale that its oil was a good cure for cramps if rubbed on externally , for stomach trouble if taken internally . and when one is landed on the dock at woods hole it is an object of interest to the workers at the biological laboratory because of its electric discharges .

during the battle , the maddox crew reported detecting more than 20 torpedoes on sonar . sailors claimed to have seen enemy cockpit lights , and searchlights across the water . sonarmen also thought they heard the sound of torpedo propellers over the hydrophones . turner joy ’s crew reported spotting the wakes of two torpedoes 300 feet off their port side . but when the heat of battle finally subsided , no enemy vessels were accounted for . none were seen retreating ; none had been destroyed .

this benthic ray is common in tropical waters , found on soft substrates , usually inshore , but also down to 70m or occasionally to depths of > 300 m ( gulyugin et al . 2006 ) . the maximum recorded size is reported at about 60cm total length ( tl ) ( serena 2005 ) , although data from egyptian waters suggests that maximum size is smaller at 38 . 6 cm tl ( abdel - aziz 1994 ) . this study in egyptian waters reports that size at maturity is 18 cm for males and 22 cm for females ( abdel - aziz 1994 ) . aplacental viviparous . the species appears to have a restricted breeding season , and females appear to breed annually ( abdel - aziz 1994 ) . births usually occur between march and september with 3 - 21 juveniles of 8 - 10 cm length ( serena 2005 ) . numbers depend on the size of the female . torpedo torpedo feeds on small fishes , but also takes benthic invertebrates .

stehmann , m . and d . l . bürkel , 1984 . torpedinidae . p . 159 - 162 . in p . j . p . whitehead , m . - l . bauchot , j . - c . hureau , j . nielsen and e . tortonese ( eds . ) fishes of the north - eastern atlantic and mediterranean . unesco , paris . vol . 1 . ( ref . 2803 )

atlantic bluefins are warm - blooded , a rare trait among fish , and are comfortable in the cold waters off newfoundland and iceland , as well as the tropical waters of the gulf of mexico and the mediterranean sea , where they go each year to spawn . they are among the most ambitiously migratory of all fish , and some tagged specimens have been tracked swimming from north american to european waters several times a year .

the battle of the atlantic was a critical part of the allied victory in the second world war . canada entered the war as a small country with an even smaller navy . from a handful of ships and a few thousand personnel , the royal canadian navy expanded into a major fleet , with more than 400 ships and 90 , 000 sailors . by war’s end , canada had the fourth - largest navy in the world .

streamlined for swimming , the herring body is relatively deep and flattened laterally ( side - to - side ) , with a distinctly forked tail ( caudal fin ) . turn an atlantic herring sideways and you could probably slide it under your closet door . the compressed body and silvery scales serve as camouflage in the open waters of the ocean , scattering light and helping to conceal herring from predators attacking from the deep . [ 1 ]

canada’s role was primarily escort duty for the hundreds of convoys that gathered in halifax and sydney , nova scotia , for the treacherous journey across the atlantic . other canadian ports , including st . john ' s , newfoundland , harboured naval and merchant vessels that joined the convoys . the first convoy , hx - 1 , left halifax on 16 september 1939 escorted by british cruisers and two canadian destroyers , hmcs st . laurent and hmcs saguenay .

the maximum reported length of a male common torpedo is 23 . 6 inches ( 60 . 0 cm ) total length ( tl ) and 16 . 1 inches ( 41 . 0 cm ) tl for a female specimen . however , this species more commonly reaches lengths of 11 . 8 inches ( 30 cm ) tl ( male ) and 15 . 6 inches ( 39 cm ) tl ( female ) . common torpedos reach larger sizes in waters off of africa in comparison to those residing in the mediterranean sea .

we need also consider the mix of regional commercial land uses ( e . g . , agriculture , ornamental aquaculture ) , and outdoor recreational activities ( e . g . , fishing and boating ) that have the potential to act as vectors for the introduction of new species . consider the ease with which recreational boaters can transport marine invaders large distances when they trailer boats up and down the coast or between florida ' s gulf and atlantic coasts .

) . furthermore , a study of the blanes margin ( northwestern mediterranean ) between 900 and 1500 m depth has shown that litter accumulates in the deepest areas sampled ( ramirez - llodra , unpublished data ) . conversely , careful examination of the lisbon , setúbal , nazaré and whittard canyon systems of the northeastern atlantic by rov showed only minor litter with the majority in the lisbon canyon off the tagus mouth ( paul tyler , pers . obs . ) (

the great torpedo ray occurs at depths of zero to 800 m . juveniles are mainly benthic on soft substrates and coral reef habitats at depths of 10−150 m , and sometimes considerably deeper ( up to 350 m ) . adults may be pelagic or semi - pelagic , solitary , and are reportedly capable of migrating over great distances ( ebert and stehmann 2013 ) . specimens were captured in medits surveys throughout the depth range surveyed ( 10−800 m ) , but mostly at depths of 200−500 m ( baino et al . 2001 ) .

a likely factor contributing to the myliobatoidei and torpedinoidei having relatively few dietary studies and low sample sizes is the availability of specimens and the type and location of the fisheries they interact with . the three skate species with the highest sample numbers l . erinacea ( 19 , 738 ) , a . radiata ( 8 , 381 ) and r . clavata ( 3 , 424 ) are all caught in the atlantic ocean and retained for human consumption or for use as lobster bait [ 25 ] – [ 27 ] . likewise , s . ancathias from the atlantic ocean , mediterranean sea and pacific ocean is retained for commercial sale [ 28 ] . importantly , these species are , at least in part , caught in well - developed and regulated fisheries such as those of the united states of america and the united kingdom [ 25 ] , [ 26 ] . this provides greater access and opportunity with respect to collection and processing of large sample sizes .

the atlantic herring is a small , pelagic plankton - feeder that grows to a maximum of 17 inches and 1 . 5 pounds . distinguishing characteristics include a dorsal fin located midway along the body and a weak saw - toothed keel along the belly . the fish is iridescent , greenish or grayish blue dorsally with a silvery abdomen and sides . the " pearl essence " of the scales was extracted by the englehard corporation of eastport , maine for use as a pigment in cosmetics and paints .

“he was not supposed to be talking about this stuff , i’m sure , ” says newberry , a professor emeritus of marine biology at the university of california , santa cruz who recently recounted this conversation to me . as newberry tells it , the sonar engineer spoke of strange shapes picked up on the turner joy ’s sonar displays during the supposed attack . the objects were the size of torpedoes , but they didn’t move like any torpedo the engineer had ever seen before . they seemed to have a will of their own—to come at the ship , then drift right under .

justification : this poorly known electric ray is sporadically recorded from senegal to angola in the eastern atlantic ocean at depths of 5 to 60 m . very little is currently known about this species’ habitat and biology , except that it is ovoviviparous and attains a maximum size of at least 60 cm tl . intensive artisanal fisheries and industrial trawl fisheries operate within this species’ known range , in which it is presumably taken as bycatch . insufficient information is currently available to assess this species beyond data deficient and information is urgently needed for reassessment .

bluefin tuna have been eaten by humans for centuries . however , in the 1970s , demand and prices for large bluefins soared worldwide , particularly in japan , and commercial fishing operations found new ways to find and catch these sleek giants . as a result , bluefin stocks , especially of large , breeding - age fish , have plummeted , and international conservation efforts have led to curbs on commercial takes . nevertheless , at least one group says illegal fishing in europe has pushed the atlantic bluefin populations there to the brink of extinction .

the laying of underwater telegraph cables came early in our understanding of the deep sea . hms cyclops in 1855 was used to determine the depth profile between the uk and newfoundland for the laying of the first transatlantic cable . the first effort in 1857 failed when the cable - dispensing machinery became disabled and cut the wire , but the cable was finally successfully connected in 1858 [ 81 ] . in subsequent years , cables were laid in many parts of the global oceans . it was the recovery of a broken cable from 2180 m between sardinia and bona , encrusted with the coral caryophyllia that demonstrated the viability of life at lower bathyal depths . in the northeastern atlantic , a maximum spatial extent of submarine cables in the ospar northeastern atlantic area has been estimated to range between 5 and 10 km 2 , although this is most likely an underesftimate as it does not take into account the effects of plough burial [ 27 ] . pipelines offer a similar scenario , although they tend to be physically bigger than cables . we predict minimal impact of underwater cables ( tables s2 and s3 ) .

at its largest , a colony of giant pyrosomes can reach up to 60 feet . they live worldwide , in tropical and temperate oceans , and are known to inhabit the gulf of tonkin . moreover , pyrosomes are sometimes found floating in clusters of several colonies near the surface of the ocean at night . the colonies swim much slower than a moving torpedo , but their appearance in a pitched battle could have been very confusing . “these things are the size of torpedoes , so they produce the same [ sonar ] image , ” says newberry . “it all fit together , as far as the character of the colony and its behavior . ”

by 1943 , a series of factors helped turn the tide of the battle . british intelligence , which had already cracked the germans ' enigma code , made even further advances in this field , allowing the allies to better track german communications and u - boat movements . new long range aircraft were also developed that allowed for full aerial coverage of the atlantic . britain’s royal navy undertook more aggressive tactics against the u - boats , forming elite hunter groups of its best anti - submarine ships to prowl the ocean searching for submarines and to aid convoys under attack .

silvery scales , however , are of no help during attacks from above . even in murky water , the flashing of silver alerts fishermen to the herring ' s presence . anglers searching for tarpon , a tropical herring - like fish , scan the water for that distinctive silver flank and single dorsal fin breaking the surface . the long , slender , highly - prized tropical tarpon is herring - like in appearance but weighs over one hundred and sixty times more than an average atlantic herring and can grow almost 80 inches longer , up to eight feet in length .

this german transport ship had 6 , 100 documented passengers on board ( and possibly hundreds more undocumented ) when it was struck on april 16 , 1945 , by a soviet submarine in the baltic sea during world war ii . just seven minutes after being struck by the torpedo , the ship sank , killing almost all of the passengers and crew aboard , either inside the ship , or outside by drowning and hypothermia in the icy waters . this disaster is largely believed to be the second - worst in maritime history , based on the number of casualties . the ship was loaded with women and children ( only two children were among the 183 passengers who survived ) .

this species is occasionally caught with bottom trawls and line gear , including recreational fisheries . torpedo rays are usually discarded at sea , resulting in very little data on catches of these species . historically this species was valued for its liver oil for use in lamps , prior to the use of kerosene oil , but a lack of data on catches makes it difficult to determine population trends ( florida museum of natural history ) . this is a large , potentially vulnerable species , and the impact of bycatch on populations needs to be assessed . the species ' preference for reef environments for spawning may make it vulnerable to the indirect effects of habitat degradation from destructive bottom trawling practices .

adult torpedoes are usually 2 to 5 feet long or a little longer , and heavy for their size . specimens taken at woods hole average about 30 pounds , while most of those taken anywhere on our atlantic coast weigh less than 75 pounds . but we have seen one only about 4 feet long from chesapeake bay that weighed about 100 pounds ; one of 144 pounds was brought from nantucket to the u . s . fisheries station at woods hole many years ago ; and the heaviest taken near provincetown were estimated long ago by a fisherman of keen observation as 170 to 200 pounds .