giant electric ray
Narcine entemedor
Shallow-water electric ray of the eastern Pacific, from the Gulf of California to northern Peru. It can give a shock when handled.
Also called: raia-elétrica-gigante, raya eléctrica, dormilón, giant electric ray
- maximum
- 119 cm
- depth
- 1–100 m
who is the giant electric ray
The giant electric ray is an electric ray of the family Narcinidae, with electric organs capable of giving shocks. It reaches 119 cm, and males mature at around 36 cm. It lives in shallow waters, on sandy bottoms, sometimes near reefs, and stays buried in the sand during the day. It feeds mainly on polychaete worms and also on tunicates, entering shallow bays at night. It forms litters of up to 15 pups, born at 11 cm.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the giant electric ray.
identification
Round-disc ray with the tail separate from the disc, which gives an electric shock: the electric organs lie on each side of the head, inside the disc. It stays buried in the sand during the day. The popular Spanish names, raya eléctrica and dormilón, refer to the shock and to the habit of staying still. It is usually found in shallow waters, 1 to 100 m deep.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Eastern Pacific, from the Gulf of California to northern Peru, with records in Central America and Ecuador. It does not occur in Brazil.
Habitat: Shallow sandy bottoms, sometimes near reefs, from coastal waters down to 100 meters.
rules for the giant electric ray
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Can give an electric shock when touched: do not hold it with bare hands, remove the hook with long-nose pliers or cut the line close, and release it with minimal handling.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01259, b = 2.91; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Narcine entemedor (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Narcine entemedorNames by country and language.