<i>Tetronarce cowleyi</i> Electric Ray (IMAGE)
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Academy Research Associate Dr. David Ebert is on a global search for the world's 'lost sharks' -- the little known, or undiscovered, fishes overshadowed by a handful of high-profile charismatic species that only represent a fraction of the sharks in need of protection. Ebert travels the world, working with fellow researchers and students to discover and study these threatened marine species before they disappear forever. In 2015, Ebert described a new species of electric 'torpedo' ray from the cool waters of the southeastern Atlantic. The newly discovered electric ray-- Tetronarce cowleyi--is a shiny black-topped, cream-bottomed predator that glides along the seafloor (seen at depths of nearly 500 feet), feasting on bony fishes and small sharks. Torpedo rays earn their names from a potent ability to stun or paralyze prey with an electric discharge from organs located on their heads. 'Torpedo rays have an amazing set of defenses,' says Ebert, who named the new species for Dr. Paul Cowley, a South African ichthyologist and frequent collaborator who assisted in the discovery. 'These rays can discharge a powerful electric shock of 45 volts--enough to knock down a human adult!'
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© David Ebert
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