Trystan Casey
Electric eels are not actually eels but a species of knifefish closely related to catfish. They can release an electric shock of up to 860 volts, which is enough to kill a human. However, human deaths from electric eels are extremely rare. The eels' large size and arrangement of organs may be why they can survive their own shocks.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Human deaths from electric eels | Extremely rare |
| Number of volts released by an electric eel | Up to 860 |
| Number of volts released by an adult electric eel | 600 |
| Number of volts released by Electrophorus electricus | Up to 480 |
| Number of volts released by Electrophorus varii | Up to 572 |
| Number of volts released by Electrophorus voltai | Up to 860 |
| Number of electrocytes in an electric eel | 6,000 |
| Number of volts produced by each electrocyte | 0.15 |
| Number of milliseconds an electric eel's electrical charge lasts | 2 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Electric eels can produce 600-860 volts of electricity
Electric eels are not eels at all but a species of knifefish in the order Gymnotiformes, which contains over 250 species of electric fishes. They are native to South America and can produce a powerful electric shock of 600 to 860 volts, depending on the species. This is achieved through thousands of muscle cells that each create a tiny current. The electric eel's body contains around 6,000 of these cells, each producing about 0.15 volts of electricity.
The electric eel has three electric organs that produce two types of discharge: to electrolocate or to stun. The main organ, the Hunter's organ, and the Sach's organ work together to produce the strongest electrical discharges. The Sach's organ produces lower voltage electrical charges of around 10 volts, which is believed to be used for electrolocation. The main organ and the Hunter's organ work in unison to produce the highest voltage charges, which are used to stun prey or deter predators.
The electric eel's ability to produce such a powerful shock makes it a top predator in its habitat. It can even leap out of the water to attack prey or defend itself against predators. Despite its powerful shock, the electric eel rarely kills humans. However, it can deliver a lethal shock of 600 volts, which is enough to cause death or leave a person incapacitated for years.
The electric capabilities of the eel were first studied in 1775, which contributed to the invention of the electric battery in 1800. When handling electric eels, aquarium staff take extra precautions to avoid electric shocks. This includes wearing long rubber gloves, as rubber is an insulator that protects against electric currents.
Who Pays Utilities After Spouses Separate?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Electric shocks from eels can cause respiratory or heart failure
Electric eels are not actually eels but a species of knifefish, closely related to carp and catfish. They are native to the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America. Their bodies contain electric organs with about 6,000 specialised cells called electrocytes that store power like tiny batteries. When threatened or attacking prey, these cells discharge simultaneously, creating an electric shock.
Electric eels can release up to 860 volts of electricity in short, intense bursts. This is enough to power a 40-watt lightbulb and is certainly enough to be lethal to humans. However, human deaths from electric eels are extremely rare.
The electric eel's unique anatomy may also play a role in its ability to survive its own electric shocks. Its large size and arrangement of organs, with organs toward the head and the electrical current coming from the tail, may protect it from the full force of its own shocks.
Surmounting Electric Fences: Strategies for Safe Crossing
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Electric eels are not true eels, but knifefish
Electric eels are not true eels but knifefish. They are members of the electroreceptive knifefish order Gymnotiformes, which is more closely related to catfish and carp than to true eels (Anguilliformes). In fact, electric eels are so unique that they have their own genus: Electrophorus.
The three species of electric eels are Electricphorus voltai, Electrophorus varii, and Electrophorus electricus. They inhabit the quiet, slow-moving waters of oxbow lakes, streams, pools, and flooded forests of the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers in northern South America. These include the countries of Brazil, the Guianas, Suriname, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
Electric eels have long, slender bodies that can grow to 9 feet (2.75 meters) long and weigh almost 50 pounds (22.7 kilograms). They have thick, scaleless skin that is generally dark grey to brown, with a yellow or red underbelly. Their mouths are at the front of their snouts and open upwards.
Electric eels are air-breathers, which means they need to surface about every ten minutes to breathe. This is in contrast to true eels, which can breathe underwater using gills. Electric eels are also nocturnal, obligate air-breathing animals with poor vision, relying on electrolocation to sense their surroundings and locate prey.
Electric eels are capable of generating up to 800 volts of electricity, with some sources stating up to 860 volts. This electric shock is created by three organs: the main organ, the Hunter's organ, and the Sachs' organ. The electric discharge is formed by thousands of muscle cells, or electrocytes, that each create a tiny current. This shock is powerful enough to kill humans, although documented cases are rare.
Rearview Mirror Compatibility: A Universal Electric Switch?
You may want to see also
Electric eels are top predators in their habitats
Electric eels are not actually eels at all—their scientific classification is closer to carp and catfish. They are, however, top predators in their habitats. Electric eels can be found in the murky streams and ponds of the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America. They predominantly prey on single diurnal fish found resting at night in the shallows. Their ability to deliver a high-voltage shock of electricity—up to 860 volts—is a highly effective defence mechanism and hunting tactic.
The electric shock produced by an electric eel comes from three organs: the main organ, the Hunter's organ, and the Sach's organ. The strongest electrical discharges are caused by the main and Hunter's organs working together, while the Sach's organ produces lower-voltage electrical charges. The electric shock is generated by thousands of muscle cells that each create a tiny current. These cells are called electrocytes, and they are positively charged on the outside and negatively charged on the inside. When the eel's brain sends signals to its organs, the outside of the electrocytes switches to a negative charge, creating an electric shock.
Electric eels have also been observed engaging in social predation, which is when groups of predators coordinate actions to find and capture prey. This behaviour is unexpected, as electric eels are typically solitary predators. In one observed instance, a group of over 100 eels herded small fish into a "prey ball" and launched joint high-voltage strikes. This tactic allows the eels to defeat the prey's antipredatory responses, such as averting from eels and creating confusion by moving in large numbers.
The high-voltage shocks produced by electric eels can be used to stun prey and keep predators at bay. They can even leap out of the water to attack perceived threats, delivering a more powerful shock than when they are underwater. While it is rare, people have been known to die from being shocked by an electric eel.
DIY Guide to Making a Safe Electrical Plug Connection
You may want to see also
Electric eels can leap out of the water to attack
Electric eels are not actually eels but a species of knifefish, native to the fresh waters of the Amazon and Orinoco River basins in South America. They are the only known species of electric fish capable of delivering a high-voltage shock of up to 860 volts. This is enough to kill a human.
Despite their fearsome reputation, very few deaths from electric eels have been recorded. However, in a remarkable discovery, it has been found that electric eels can, and will, leap out of the water to attack. This behaviour was first observed and recorded in 1800 by German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt, who witnessed native fishermen in Venezuela herding horses into a pool containing electric eels. The eels attacked the horses, and a few drowned as a result. Humboldt's account was long considered apocryphal, but recent experiments have proven that it could be true.
In his lab at Vanderbilt University, biologist Ken Catania set up an experiment with a prosthetic predator. He found that the eels leapt up and electrocuted the approaching 'predator', and that the magnitude of the current they produced increased as they reached further out of the water. Slow-motion videos revealed that the eels bent their necks to maintain contact between their electric organs and the conductor. This suggests that eels use targeted high-voltage volleys, rather than random electric discharges when attacking.
Catania also connected LED lights to strips of conductive tape attached to a fake predator, which showed that by leaping, the eels could electrify greater portions of the partially submerged target. This lunging strategy enables eels to deliver more of their electrical power directly to a threat. It is believed that eels may resort to this aggressive behaviour when they are trapped in dried-up pools during the Amazonian dry season, as they have no escape route and may be forced to protect themselves from potential predators.
Coiling Electrical Cords: The Over-Under Technique
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Yes, electric eels can kill humans. An adult eel can produce a lethal 600 volts of electrical energy, which is enough to cause respiratory or heart failure.
Human deaths from electric eels are extremely rare. However, multiple shocks can cause respiratory or heart failure, and people have been known to drown in shallow water after a stunning jolt.
Electric eels can release up to 860 volts of electricity.
Electric eels have around 6,000 muscle cells that each create a tiny current of about 0.15 volts of electricity.
It is rare to find documented cases that report deaths from an electric eel shock, but it can happen.
