With its brown back covered in small whitish spots, the panther electric ray (Torpedo panthera) easily blends into the seafloor. Yet this inconspicuous ray has a remarkable feature: it can produce electric shocks to capture prey and defend itself.

It inhabits the warm waters of the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Arabian Sea, around the Arabian Peninsula, where it generally stays close to the seabed.

The panther electric ray has a flattened body forming a rounded disc, with its pectoral fins fused to its head. Its eyes are located on the upper surface, while its mouth and gill slits are on the underside. The panther electric ray has small, irregular whitish spots on a light brown to reddish-brown back.

The panther electric ray typically averages around 13 inches in length, but the largest individuals can reach up to 25 inches.

The panther electric ray inhabits tropical and subtropical waters of the northern Indian Ocean, from the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf to the coast of Pakistan. It has also been reported off eastern India, near the state of Odisha, in the Bay of Bengal.

The panther electric ray resembles the Persian torpedo ray (Torpedo sinuspercisi), making it difficult to determine the exact boundaries of its range.

The panther electric ray lives close to the seabed along coastlines and across the continental shelf. It inhabits various environments, including coral reefs and sandy or muddy bottoms. It is found mainly in shallow waters, but can also occur at depths of up to 1,150 feet.

The panther electric ray feeds mainly on small fish and marine invertebrates. It hunts near the seabed and uses electric shocks to immobilize its prey before capturing it.

As in other electric rays, its electric organs serve as tools for both hunting and defense.

The panther electric ray is ovoviviparous: embryos develop inside the female's body, initially relying on the nutrients stored in their eggs and later receiving nutrients produced by the mother. The young are born fully formed and independent.

Identifying the panther electric ray can be difficult because it resembles other electric rays found in the same region, particularly the variable torpedo ray (Torpedo sinuspercisi).

The main distinguishing feature is the dorsal pattern: the panther electric ray has small, irregular whitish spots, whereas the Persian torpedo ray has a more marbled pattern, with pale lines and markings on a dark brown background.