Distribution and Habitat
Native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean, the common torpedo occurs from the Bay of Biscay to Angola, including all around the Mediterranean Sea. A single record from Belgian waters was most likely erroneous. In European waters, it is encountered less frequently than other electric ray species. This species prefers warmer temperatures. It is rare north of the Mediterranean, and within the Mediterranean it is more common off North Africa than off southern Europe. The common torpedo is a bottom-dweller usually found close to shore at depths of 2–70 m (6.6–230 ft), though it has occasionally been reported from as deep as 400 m (1,300 ft). It inhabits soft-bottomed habitats such as sandy flats and seagrass beds.
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