Page 183 - (DK) Super Shark Encyclopedia: And Other Creatures of the Deep
P. 183

Electrical organ contains                  WATER WINGS
                                   more than 500 jelly-filled
                                   “batteries” that can          Like all rays, the torpedo ray has
                                   deliver an electric shock   massive pectoral fins that are used
                                   into the water               like wings to “fly” under water.
                                                               Strong muscles flap the fins to
                                                               help propel the ray forward.







                                                     Nerves carry signals
                                                     from the brain to the
                                                     electrical organs












                                                                           STATS AND FACTS

                                                                           VOLTAGE           170–220 volts shock
                                                                                               from torpedo ray
                                                                                                                    A quick burst of electrical
                                                                                                                    charge from a torpedo
                                                                                                                    ray is enough to kill
                                                                                    volts  50  100   150   200  250
                                                                                                                    a small fish, and
                                                                                            120 volts    220 volts    produce a painful
                                                                                       US main voltage  UK main voltage
                                                                                                                    shock in humans.
                                                                           SHOCK TIME
                                                                                     0.005 sec duration of each electrical pulse
                                                                                                                       ELECTRICAL PULSES
                                                                                    sec   2     4    6     8    10
                                                                                                    4.5–7 sec duration    414
                                                                                                    of entire shock
                                                                                                                         PER SHOCK






                                                                                         Tail is shorter than body
                                                                                          disk and provides some
                                                                                         propulsion forswimming









                                                                                                                                        SUPERNATURAL SENSES














                                                                                 First of two small
                                                    Pelvic fins are much          dorsal fins
                                                    smaller than pectoral fins
                                                    but can still flap to help
                                                    with swimming
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