ELECTRIC EEL
The electric eel (Electrophorus
electricus) is an electric fish,
and the only species in its genus. It is capable of
generating powerful electric shocks of
up to 860 volts, which it uses for hunting, self-defense and communicating with
fellow eels. It is an apex predator
in its South American
range despite living in an environment rich in predators such as humans, dogs,
caimans, jaguars, giant otters, giant snakes, and birds of prey that kill fish
of similar size of the electric eel as prey.
Despite its name, it is not an eel, but rather a knifefish.
Anatomy
The electric eel has an
elongated, cylindrical body, typically growing to about 2 m (6 ft 7 in)
in length, and 20 kg (44 lb) in weight, making it the largest species
of the Gymnotiformes.The coloration is dark gray-brown on the back and yellow or
orange on the belly. Mature males have a darker color on the belly. They have
no scales. The mouth is square, and positioned at the end of the snout. The
anal fin extends the length of the body to the tip of the tail. As in other ostariophysan
fishes, the swim bladder has two chambers. The anterior chamber is connected to
the inner ear by a series of small bones derived from neck vertebrae called the
Weberian apparatus, which greatly enhances its hearing capability. The posterior
chamber extends along the whole length of the body and maintains the fish's
buoyancy. E. electricus has a well-developed sense of hearing. This fish
has a vascularized respiratory organ in its oral cavity. As obligate
air-breathers, electric eels must rise to the surface every 10 minutes or so to
inhale before returning to the bottom. Nearly 80% of the oxygen used by the
fish is retrieved in this way.
Despite its
name, the electric eel is not closely related to the true eels
(Anguilliformes), but is a member of the neotropical knifefish order
(Gymnotiformes), which is more closely related to the catfish.
Physiology
The electric
eel has three abdominal pairs of organs that produce electricity: the main
organ, the Hunter's organ, and the Sach's organ. These organs make up four-fifths of its
body, and are what give the electric eel the ability to generate two types of electric organ discharges: low voltage and high voltage.
These organs are made of electrocytes, lined up so a current of ions
can flow through them and stacked so each one adds to a potential difference. When the eel locates
its prey, the brain sends a signal through the nervous system to the
electrocytes. This opens the ion channels,
allowing sodium to flow through, reversing the
polarity momentarily. By causing a sudden difference in electric potential, it generates an electric current in a manner similar to a battery, in which stacked plates each produce an electric potential
difference. In the electric eel, some 5,000 to 6,000 stacked electroplaques are capable of producing a shock
at up to 600 volts and 1 ampere of current (600 watts) for a duration of two
milliseconds. It would be extremely unlikely for such a shock to be deadly for
an adult human, due to the very short duration of the discharge. Still, this
level of current could in theory cause fatal electrocution in humans, depending on the path
the current takes through the human body, and the duration of current flow. Heart fibrillation (reversible via a heart defibrillator) can be triggered by
electric currents of 700 mA for more than 30 ms.
The Sach's
organ is associated with electrolocation. Inside the organ are many
muscle-like cells, called electrocytes. Each cell can only produce 0.15 V,
though the organ can transmit a signal of nearly 10 V overall in amplitude at
around 25 Hz in frequency. These signals are emitted by the main organ;
the Hunter's organ can emit signals at rates of several hundred Hertz.
The electric
eel is unique among the Gymnotiformes in having large electric organs capable
of producing potentially-lethal discharges that allow them to stun prey. Larger
voltages have been reported, but the typical output is sufficient to stun or
deter virtually any animal. Juveniles produce smaller voltages (about 100 V).
They are capable of varying the intensity of the electric discharge, using
lower discharges for hunting and higher intensities for stunning prey, or
defending themselves. When agitated, they are capable of producing these
intermittent electric shocks over a period of at least an hour without tiring.
The electric
eel also possesses high-frequency-sensitive tuberous receptors, which are
distributed in patches over its body. This feature is apparently useful for
hunting other Gymnotiformes.
Electric
eels have been used as a model in the study of bioelectrogenesis. The species is of some interest
to researchers, who make use of its acetylcholinesterase and adenosine triphosphate.
Bionics
Researchers at Yale University and the National
Institute of Standards and Technology argue artificial cells could
be built that not only replicate the electrical behavior of electric eel cells,
but also improve on them. Artificial versions of the eel's
electricity-generating cells could be developed as a power source for medical
implants and other microscopic devices.
Habitat
Electric eels inhabit fresh waters of the Amazon and Orinoco River basins in
South America, in floodplains, swamps, creeks, small rivers, and coastal
plains. They often live on muddy bottoms in calm or stagnant water.
Feeding ecology
Electric eels feed on invertebrates, although
adult eels may also consume fish and small mammals. First-born hatchlings will eat other eggs and embryos from later clutches.The
juveniles will eat invertebrates, such as shrimps and crabs.
Reproduction
The electric eel is known for its unusual breeding behavior. In the dry
season, a male eel makes a nest from his saliva into which the female lays her
eggs. As many as 3,000 young will hatch from the eggs in one nest. Male
electric eels are much smaller than the females