Torpedo Ray Sighting Form

Torpedo Ray Sighting Form
Contact Information - NECWA will not share your contact information with any other organization or business. This information will only be used to verify the sighting information.
Torpedo Ray, (Western Atlantic Torpedo)

The Torpedo Ray (Tetronarce occidentalis), is a species of electric ray from the family Torpedinidae. It is found in the Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia to Brazil. This electric ray that can generate an electrical charge to deter predators or stun prey.
Full Name*

First NameLast Name
E-mail*
Organization:
Address*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
Phone Number*

Area CodePhone Number

General Sighting Information
Date & Time*

MonthDayYearHourMinutesAM/PM Option
General Location:*
Position - Input Latitude
Decimal degrees preferred, ex. -70.664037
Position - Input Longitude
Decimal degrees preferred, ex. -70.664037
Note: Please enter the GPS coordinates (latitude and longitude) if you know them. If you did not record these coordinates for this sighting, you can provide an estimated location by using Google Maps or Google Earth.

On Google Maps, place the cursor where the animal was seen and click to bring up a dialog box providing the latitude and longitude.

On Google Earth, place your cursor where the animal was seen and the latitude and longitude will appear on the bottom right.

If you need to convert your latitude and longitude to decimal degrees, go the Earth Point website at https://www.earthpoint.us for a free online converter.

Anatomy of a Ray or Skate

Use the diagram below to familiarize yourself with the basic anatomy of a torpedo ray.
WARNING: Torpedo Rays are an electric ray that can provide a strong electric shock if they are alive.

The electric organs are on both sides of the large head and are the modified pectoral fins.

DO NOT TOUCH THIS AREA if the animal is alive for you will get shocked.

If the animal is alive: To rescue a live torpedo ray, use a t-shirt or other soft material and wrap it around the tail. Then drag the animal by its tail back into deeper water.

If the animal is dead: Gently flip the animal over to get photos of its underside, including the reproductive structures to determine whether it is a male or female.
Electric Organs of the Torpedo Ray

The electric organs are located on both sides of the head region which is a part of the pectoral fins.
Call the NECWA Resue Hotline Number

If the Torpedo Ray is alive, please call the NECWA rescue number at 508-566-0009.

Sighting Information

Please answer the questions below about this specific sighting. This Jotform is meant to report only 1 animal per form. However, if you observe more than one animal and they are clustered together, you can group them together in this Jotform.
Number of Torpedo Ray seen.
Again, try to report only 1 torpedo ray sighting per Jotform.
Is the animal alive or dead?
If the animal is alive, is the torpedo ray healthy, njured or stranding?
What is the sex of this animal?
See the diagram below to help you determine the sex of the carcass.
How to Determine the Sex of a Torpedo Ray

If the animal is dead, you can safely turn the animal upside down to view structures on the underside that can help you sex the animal. Males have claspers that are used to transfer sperm to the female.
If the Torpedo ray is dead, you can safely determine the sex of the carcass by using a stick or other object to gently flip if over with its belly side up. Or you can grab the animal gently by the tail to flip it over.

If you are not sure if the Torpedo Ray is dead, don't flip the animal for it may add additional stress to the animal.
Collecting Body Measurements

If you can, please collect body measurements, but only if the animal is dead. Take straight line measurements with measuring tape off the body. Record all measurements in inches. Please collect the total length of the ray and the disc width.
Total Length (inches)
Straight line measurement from the head to the tip of the tail.
Disc Width (inches)
Straight line measurement taken at the widest part of the head.

Photo Documentation

Photographs and videos of each sighting help us verify the species and allows us to pull out additional information, including behaviors and associations. Even blurry or distant photos are useful to us.
Upload Images - Please upload any photographs of the Torpedo Ray you were able to collect.

Send any additional photos or videos to NECWA at contact@necwa.org.
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Comments
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Thank you for sending us this sighting report of a Torpedo Ray. To learn more about the New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance (NECWA), go to our website at

www.necwa.org
The New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance (NECWA), is an all-volunteer nonprofit based in southeastern MA. We work to better understand and protect the unique coastal marine wildlife in New England waters. Your efforts are helping us achive this goalTo learn more about NECWA and to support this project and our other community projects, go to www.necwa.org.

NECWA is also interested in sightings of basking sharks, ocean sunfish, thresher sharks, Diamondback terrapins and box turtles. Go to www.necwa.org to report your sightings.

Thank You
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Torpedo Ray, (Western Atlantic Torpedo)

Anatomy of a Ray or Skate

Electric Organs of the Torpedo Ray

Sighting Information

How to Determine the Sex of a Torpedo Ray

Collecting Body Measurements

Photo Documentation