Tiflonarka-tarakea [1] ( lat. Typhlonarke tarakea ) is a species of stingrays of the genus Tiflonarka of the lat family . Narkidae squad of electric stingrays . These are cartilaginous fish leading the bottom lifestyle, with large, flattened pectoral and abdominal fins, forming an almost round disc, a short, thick tail, ending in a muscular caudal fin and one dorsal fin. These slopes are blind, their eyes are hidden under the skin. The ventral fins are divided into two parts; the anterior fin forms a process similar to a limb. Slopes move along the bottom, being repelled by these “legs”. They are able to generate electric current. They are endemic to the waters of New Zealand . Usually found at a depth of 300-400 m. The maximum recorded length is 36 cm. The diet consists of polychaetes . These stingrays reproduce by egg production [2] .
| Tiflonarka-Tarakea |
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| No rank : | Bilateral symmetrical |
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Typhlonarke tarakea Phillipps , 1929 |
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Not enough data IUCN Data Deficient : 41868 |
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For the first time, a new species was scientifically described in 1929. The holotype was caught in Island Bay , New Zealand [3] . Previously, this ramp was depicted by August Hamilton from the Dominion Museum in his description of a blind electric ramp. A scientist bought an individual at the Dunedin fish market and noted its more elongated disk shape, unlike tiflonarka , but did not recognize it as a new species [4] [5] .
The range of tiflonarok-tarakea is not clearly defined, since it intersects with the range of blind electric rays , and these species are similar in appearance. These stingrays are endemic to New Zealand waters and live off the eastern coast of the North Island , off the South Island, Stewart Island, in the region of the rise of Chatham to 49 ° S. w. They are found at the bottom at a depth of 46 to 800 m, mainly between 300 and 400 m [2] .
The disk formed by the pectoral fins of these rays is egg-shaped, it tapers slightly towards the tail, the posterior margin is very fleshy. On both sides of the head, electrical paired organs in the form of kidneys are visible through the skin. Tiny eyes are 2-3 mm under the skin. Their position can be determined by two small white spots. Behind the eyes are oval splashes with raised, smooth edges. The nostrils are located close together. Their outer edges are twisted into tubes, and the inner edges expand and grow together, forming a fleshy leather flap that almost hides a small mouth hidden in the recess. Each jaw has 11 dentitions lined up in the front of the mouth. The central teeth are worn and dull, while those removed from the center end with a single tip. Five pairs of short and curved gill slits are located on the lower side of the disk, of which the first and fifth are shorter than the others [5] .
The front edges of large and wide ventral fins form processes similar to limbs. The posterior margins fuse with the margins of the pectoral fins, being part of the disc. There is no recess at the junction of the fins with the tail. Adult males have cylindrical pterygopodia, the ends of which protrude from under the disc. At the level of the junction of the disc with the body, there is the base of a single dorsal fin having rounded edges. On the sides of the short and thick tail are barely noticeable folds of skin, the tail ends with an almost round caudal fin. The skin is devoid of scales. The dorsal surface is even brown, the edges of the disc and the ventral surface are lighter in color. The area around the mouth and nostrils, as well as the ventral surface of the processes formed by the ventral fins, is painted white. The maximum recorded length is 36 cm [5] .
Tiflonarka-tarakea are bottom marine fish. Flabby muscles and a short undeveloped tail make them poor swimmers. Basically, they move along the bottom with the help of mobile processes of the ventral fins, which are better developed in them compared with blind electric rays [5] . Defending themselves from predators, these ramps are capable of delivering an electric shock. Being blind, they suck prey, their diet consists mainly of polychaetes [2] [5] . They reproduce by egg-production , in litter up to 11 newborns 9-10 cm long [2] .
These ramps are not of interest for commercial fishing. They are often caught by- catch in commercial fisheries using bottom trawls. There is insufficient data to evaluate the conservation status of the species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature [2] .
