Manta rays are active swimmers adapted for a cruising lifestyle. They swim near the surface of the water, straining small animals with an elaborate meshwork in their gills. These giant filter feeders do not even have a barb and are harmless to people. Meeting the torpedo ray is a much more shocking experience. These small rays have electric organs on either side of their heads.
Electricity is produced by modified muscle cells.
Electrocytes are stacked in columns, and the charge from each one is coordinated to add to a large single burst of electricity at once. This burst is used for defense and close range hunting by the animal. People have also experimented with this natural electricity. Ancient Romans believed that a headache, even if it was chronic and unbearable was taken away forever b y placing a live black torpedo ray on the spot which was in pain, until the pain ceased. Gout, a painful disease that leads to inflamed joints, was also treated by placing a torpedo ray under wet feet until the legs were numb to the knee.