 The pelvic fins are distinct from the disc and have rounded outer margins. The short and thick tail bears skin folds along either side and two dorsal fins on top. The first dorsal fin is slightly larger than the second. The well-developed caudal fin is triangular with blunt corners, and is approximately as long as the space between it and first dorsal fin. The skin is smooth and soft, entirely lacking dermal denticles. The dorsal coloration of the common torpedo is light to dark brown, with distinctive large spots ("ocellae") on the disc; each ocellus is blue and encircled by darker and lighter rings. Typically there are five ocellae arranged symmetrically in a row of three and another of two; rays with 0 – 4 ocellae are less common, and those with more than five are rarer still. An unusual male with eight ocellae was caught off Tunisia, and another with nine off southern France. When present, the sixth ocellus is similarly sized to the first five and positioned at their center; any additional ocellae tend to be smaller than the first six and placed asymmetrically towards the snout. The underside is cream-colored, with dark disc margins. An adult albino female was captured off Tunisia. Males and females typically measure 30 and 39 cm (12 and 15 in) long respectively; the largest individual on record was 60 cm (24 in) long. Rays from off West Africa grow larger than those from the Mediterranean.
