What is "electric ray"

Ray \Ray\, n. [F. raie, L. raia. Cf. Roach.] (Zo["o]l.)

1. Any one of numerous elasmobranch fishes of the order Rai[ae], including the skates, torpedoes, sawfishes, etc.

2. In a restricted sense, any of the broad, flat, narrow-tailed species, as the skates and sting rays. See Skate.

   Bishop ray, a yellow-spotted, long-tailed eagle ray ( Stoasodon n[`a]rinari) of the Southern United States and the West Indies.

   Butterfly ray, a short-tailed American sting ray ( Pteroplatea Maclura), having very broad pectoral fins.

   Devil ray. See Sea Devil.

   Eagle ray, any large ray of the family Myliobatid[ae], or [AE]tobatid[ae]. The common European species ( Myliobatis aquila) is called also whip ray, and miller.

   Electric ray, or Cramp ray, a torpedo.

   Starry ray, a common European skate ( Raia radiata).

   Sting ray, any one of numerous species of rays of the family Trygonid[ae] having one or more large, sharp, barbed dorsal spines on the whiplike tail. Called also stingaree.

Electric \E*lec"tric\ ([-e]*l[e^]k"tr[i^]k), Electrical \E*lec"tric*al\ ([-e]*l[e^]k"tr[i^]*kal), a. [L. electrum amber, a mixed metal, Gr. 'h`lektron; akin to 'hle`ktwr the beaming sun, cf. Skr. arc to beam, shine: cf. F. ['e]lectrique. The name came from the production of electricity by the friction of amber.]

1. Pertaining to electricity; consisting of, containing, derived from, or produced by, electricity; as, electric power or virtue; an electric jar; electric effects; an electric spark; an electric charge; an electric current; an electrical engineer.

2. Capable of occasioning the phenomena of electricity; as, an electric or electrical machine or substance; an electric generator.

3. Electrifying; thrilling; magnetic. ``Electric Pindar.''
   --Mrs. Browning.

4. powered by electricity; as, electrical appliances; an electric toothbrush; an electric automobile.

   Electric atmosphere, or Electric aura. See under Aura.

   Electrical battery. See Battery.

   Electrical brush. See under Brush.

   Electric cable. See Telegraph cable, under Telegraph.

   Electric candle. See under Candle.

   Electric cat (Zo["o]l.), one of three or more large species of African catfish of the genus Malapterurus (esp. M. electricus of the Nile). They have a large electrical organ and are able to give powerful shocks; -- called also sheathfish.

   Electric clock. See under Clock, and see Electro-chronograph.

   Electric current, a current or stream of electricity traversing a closed circuit formed of conducting substances, or passing by means of conductors from one body to another which is in a different electrical state.

   Electric eel, or Electrical eel (Zo["o]l.), a South American eel-like fresh-water fish of the genus Gymnotus ( G. electricus), from two to five feet in length, capable of giving a violent electric shock. See Gymnotus.

   Electrical fish (Zo["o]l.), any fish which has an electrical organ by means of which it can give an electrical shock. The best known kinds are the torpedo, the gymnotus, or electrical eel, and the electric cat. See Torpedo, and Gymnotus.

   Electric fluid, the supposed matter of electricity; lightning. [archaic]

   Electrical image (Elec.), a collection of electrical points regarded as forming, by an analogy with optical phenomena, an image of certain other electrical points, and used in the solution of electrical problems.
   --Sir W. Thomson.

   Electric machine, or Electrical machine, an apparatus for generating, collecting, or exciting, electricity, as by friction.

   Electric motor. See Electro-motor, 2.

   Electric osmose. (Physics) See under Osmose.

   Electric pen, a hand pen for making perforated stencils for multiplying writings. It has a puncturing needle driven at great speed by a very small magneto-electric engine on the penhandle.

   Electric railway, a railway in which the machinery for moving the cars is driven by an electric current.

   Electric ray (Zo["o]l.), the torpedo.

   Electric telegraph. See Telegraph.

n. Any of the group of rays of the order ''(taxlink Torpedodiniformes order noshow=1)'', which can produce an electric discharge.

n. any sluggish bottom-dwelling ray of the order Torpediniformes having a rounded body and electric organs on each side of the head capable of emitting strong electric discharges [syn: crampfish, numbfish, torpedo]

The electric rays are a group of rays, flattened cartilaginous fish with enlarged pectoral fins, comprising the order Torpediniformes. They are known for being capable of producing an electric discharge, ranging from 8 to 220 volts, depending on species, used to stun prey and for defense. There are 69 species in four families.

Perhaps the best known members are those of the genus Torpedo, also called crampfish and numbfish. (The device called a torpedo is named after it.) The name comes from the Latin torpere, to be stiffened or paralyzed, referring to the effect on someone who handles or steps on a living electric ray.