Aden Gulf torpedo
species of fish
The Aden Gulf torpedo or Aden torpedo (Torpedo adenensis) is a poorly known species of electric ray in the family Torpedinidae, seemingly endemic to the eastern Gulf of Aden, near the coast of Yemen. Growing to 41 cm (16 in) long, this species has a nearly circular pectoral fin disc and a short, thick tail with two dorsal fins and a well-developed caudal fin. It is characterized by its reddish dorsal coloration, which in contrast to related species lacks any additional markings. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed the Aden Gulf torpedo as Endangered, citing its extremely small range and the intensive shrimp trawling that occurs in the region.
Taxonomy
The first specimens of the Aden Gulf torpedo were collected in 1989 by the former Soviet research ship Stefanov, and described as a new species by Marcelo R. de Carvalho, M.F.W. Stehmann, and L.G. Manilo in a 2002 issue of the scientific journal American Museum Novitates. The specific epithet adenensis refers to only region where it has been found. The type specimen is a 41-cm-long adult male. This species belongs to the subgenus Torpedo, but is unique in being plainly colored. It appears to be most closely related to the leopard torpedo (T. panthera), with which it shares a distinctive flap at the tips of the claspers.
Distribution and habitat
Possibly an eastern Gulf of Aden endemic, the Aden Gulf torpedo has been caught from depths between 26 and 140 m (85 and 459 ft) at three close locations off the coast of Yemen.
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This entry incorporates text from “Aden Gulf torpedo” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.