Table I
Groups of Electric Fishc
Common name
Strength of
Family
Genera and species
organ discharge
Distribution
Skates, ordinary rays
Electric rays, torpedos
Rajidae
Raja, many species, a Weak
number of other
genera not known to
be electric
Marine, cosmopolitan
Torpedinidae
A number of genera,
Strong, up to 60 V Marine, cosmopolitan
many species
or 1 kW, some
perhaps weakb
Mormyrids, elephant-nosed fish (many
Mormyridae
A number of genera,
Weak
lack enlarged chin or snout)
several with many
species
Freshwater, Africa
Gyrnnarchus
Gymnarchidae
1 species, G. niloticus
Weak
Freshwater, Africa
Gymnotid eels; electric eel and knifefish
Electrophoridae
1 species, Electrophorus Strong, more than Freshwater, South
electricus
500 Vc
America