Its pelvic fins are divided in two, with the anterior portion forming a limb-like appendage; in males the claspers do not extend past the disc margin.

The trawler Doto collected the first known specimen of the blind electric ray from the Foveaux Strait, during a research cruise in early 1900.

The head of the expedition Lake F. Ayson gave the specimen to Augustus Hamilton of the Dominion Museum, who named it Astrape aysoni in his honor.

Hamilton published his account of the species in a 1902 volume of the scientific journal Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute.

[1] The blind electric ray has a nearly circular pectoral fin disc measuring about 70% of the total length, with rather thin margins.

The tiny eyes are not visible externally, being located 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) beneath the surface of the skin; their positions are indicated by small white patches.

Adult males have relatively small, slightly flattened claspers whose tips do not extend past the disc margin.

The short, thick tail bears faint lateral skin folds along either side and terminates in a nearly circular caudal fin slightly longer than tall.

Each electric organ is made of 180–200 relatively large, fluid-filled hexagonal columns, which essentially act as batteries connected in parallel.