Common Electric Eel

Despite the name, it is not an eel, but rather a knifefish.

The largest of the Gymnotiformes, Electrophorus electricus has an elongated, cylindrical body that typically reaches lengths of about 2 m (6 ft 7 in) and weights of 20 kg (44 lb). On the back, they are a dark gray-brown color, and on the belly, they are yellow or orange. The abdomen of mature females is darker. They don't have scales. The snout's tip is where the square mouth is located. The anal fin runs from the tip of the tail to the end of the body. The swim bladder has two chambers like it does in other ostariophysan fish. The Weberian apparatus, a group of tiny bones made from neck vertebrae that connect the anterior chamber to the inner ear, greatly improves the hearing ability of the body. The posterior chamber keeps the fish buoyant and runs the entire length of the body.

When the knifefish finds 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. Electric eels are also capable of controlling their prey's nervous systems with their electrical abilities; by controlling their victim's nervous system and muscles via electrical pulses, they can keep prey from escaping or force it to move so they can locate its position.

Their heart will be shocked, and they will die instantly. So, they must exercise extreme caution. Nevertheless, accidents do happen. By flexing their bodies in a way that prevents the electric current from flowing through their hearts, they lessen the risk to themselves.

Despite having the potential to be the bullies of the Amazon, electric eels are not typically aggressive creatures. The eel uses its shock to paralyze prey and fend off predators. They are nocturnal, obligate air-breathers with poor vision and electrolocation; their main food source is fish. For as long as they live, electric eels grow, adding more vertebrae to their spinal column. Women are smaller than males. Over 20 years have been lived by some captive species.

Although they have the potential to be the Amazon's bullies, electric eels are not typically aggressive creatures. The eel uses shock to disorient prey and ward off predators.

Electric eel is to freshwater habitats in the Guiana Shield. The benthopelagic (ecological region at the lowest level of a water body) electric eel is a nocturnal species that typically lives in the muddy bottoms of rivers, streams, pools, and swamps, favoring heavily shaded areas. This species can survive in water with low oxygen levels and is an obligate air breather. Adults eat fish and small mammals, while juveniles eat invertebrates.

• Movement Pattern: Nomadic

• Individual Type: Solo

• Population Trend: Stable

• Population: ???

• Locomotion: Amphibious

• Habitat: Warm River; Cold River; Lukewarm River; Warm Pond; Cold Pond; Warm Lake; Cold Lake.

• Earth: 

  • Extant (Resident): Brazil; Guiana; Suriname; Venezuela

Electric eels are fairly hardy in the aquarium, but due to their enormous adult size and potentially lethal shock, they should only be kept by seasoned hobbyists with a large, dedicated aquarium built specifically to meet this fish's unique needs. Larger fish should be handled very carefully.

Within the order Gymnotiformes, which includes South American knifefishes, electric eels make up a clade of fishes with strong electric properties. Thus, electric eels and the true eels (Anguilliformes) are not closely related. According to estimates, the lineage of the Electrophorus genus diverged from its sister taxon Gymnotus sometime during the Cretaceous. The majority of knifefishes have weak electric properties, are capable of active electrolocation, but not shock delivery. Their cladogram, which depicts their relationships, was analyzed in 2019 after their mitochondrial DNA was sequenced.

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• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrophorus_electricus

• https://www.azquotes.com/quotes/topics/eels.html

• https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2018/04/03/how-do-eels-generate-electricity-in-water-without-electrocuting-themselves/#:~:text=An%20electric%20current%20through%20their,from%20passing%20through%20their%20heart.

• https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/fish/facts/electric-eel#:~:text=Although%20electric%20eels%20have%20the,waters%2C%20and%20have%20poor%20eyesight.

• https://www.aqua-imports.com/product/electric-eel-electrophorus-electricus/#:~:text=In%20the%20aquarium%2C%20electric%20eels,be%20treated%20with%20extreme%20caution.

• https://animalia.bio/electrophorus-electricus?taxonomy=9219

• https://www.deviantart.com/ognimdo2002/art/Electrophorus-electricus-874073360

• https://www.deviantart.com/ognimdo2002/art/Common-Electric-Eel-2024-1098500414