Electric eel

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Lightning Symbol

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FMIB 51852 Electric Catfish, Torpedo electricus (Gmelin) Congo River

Electric eel (Electrophorus electricus) is a South American electric fish, and the only species in its genus. Despite its name, it is not an eel but rather a member of the knife fish family, which are more closely related to catfish and carp than to the true eels. Electric eels are known for their ability to generate powerful electric shocks, which they use for hunting, self-defense, and navigation. This species is native to the Amazon basin and the Orinoco basin in South America.

Description

Electric eels can grow up to 2.5 meters (8.2 ft) in length and weigh up to 20 kilograms (44 lb). They have elongated, cylindrical bodies, and their coloration is generally dark gray-brown on the back with a yellowish or orange underbelly. Electric eels lack the scales found on most fish, having instead a thick, slimy skin that helps protect them from parasites and infections.

Electricity Generation

Electric eels have three pairs of abdominal organs that produce electricity: the main organ, the Hunter's organ, and the Sachs' organ. These organs make up about 80% of the fish's body, allowing it to generate two types of electric discharges: low voltage and high voltage. The low voltage discharges are used for navigation and communication, while the high voltage shocks, which can reach up to 600 volts, are used for protection and stunning prey.

Habitat and Distribution

Electric eels are found in the fresh waters of the Amazon and Orinoco river basins in South America, preferring slow-moving streams, floodplains, swamps, and coastal plains. They thrive in muddy, oxygen-poor water and can breathe air due to a highly vascularized mouth lining, which allows them to survive in water with low oxygen levels.

Diet

The diet of the electric eel consists mainly of fish, but they also consume amphibians, small mammals, and birds that happen to fall into the water. They use their electric shock to stun or kill prey before consumption.

Reproduction

Electric eels are oviparous, with females laying eggs in nests made from saliva among submerged vegetation. The male guards the nest and the young eels, which are called larvae, until they are capable of fending for themselves.

Conservation Status

The electric eel is not currently listed as endangered or threatened. However, habitat destruction and pollution in the Amazon and Orinoco basins pose potential threats to their populations.

In Culture

Electric eels have fascinated people for centuries, and they have been studied for their electrical generating capabilities. Research into how electric eels produce electricity has led to advances in technology, including the development of new types of batteries and bioelectric devices.