The electric eel (Electrophorus electricus) is a ray-finned fish of the Hymnoformes family. An amazing feature of this animal, in addition to the serpentine body, is the ability to generate electricity.
Electric eel is a large fish with a length of 1 to 3 meters, the weight of an eel reaches 40 kg. The body of the eel is elongated - serpentine, covered with gray-green skin without scales, moreover, it is rounded in the front part, and flattened from the sides closer to the tail. Eels are found in South America, particularly in the Amazon Basin.
A large eel generates a discharge with a voltage of up to 1200 V and a current of up to 1 A. Even small aquarium individuals generate discharges from 300 to 650 V. Thus, an electric eel can pose a serious danger to humans.
Electric eel accumulates significant charges of electricity, the discharges of which are used for hunting and defense against predators. But eel is not the only fish that produces electricity.
Electric fish
In addition to electric eels, a large number of freshwater and saltwater fish are capable of generating electricity. In total, there are about three hundred such species from various unrelated families.
Most "electric" fish use an electric field to navigate or find prey, but some have more serious charges.
Electric rays - cartilaginous fish, relatives of sharks, depending on the species, can have a charge voltage of 50 to 200 V, while the current reaches 30 A. Such a charge can hit rather large prey.
Electric catfish are freshwater fish, up to 1 meter in length, weighing less than 25 kg. Despite its relatively modest size, an electric catfish is capable of generating 350-450 V, with a current strength of 0.1-0.5 A.
Electrical organs
The aforementioned fish show unusual abilities thanks to the modified muscles - the electrical organ. In different fish, this formation has a different structure and size, and its location, for example, in an electric eel, it is located on both sides along the body and makes up about 25% of the fish's mass.
In Enoshima's Japanese aquarium, an electric eel is used to light up a Christmas tree. The tree is connected to the aquarium, the fish living in it produces about 800 watts of electricity, which is enough for illumination.
Any electrical organ consists of electrical plates - modified nerve and muscle cells, the membranes of which create a potential difference.
Electric plates connected in series are assembled into columns that are connected in parallel to each other. The potential difference generated by the plates is accumulated at opposite ends of the electric organ. It only remains to activate it.
An electric eel, for example, bends, and a series of electrical discharges passes between the positively charged front of the body and the negatively charged back, striking the victim.
