Molly Ayala
Electric eels are not true eels, despite their name and eel-like appearance. They are neotropical freshwater fish from South America, and are more closely related to carp and catfish. Electric eels are found in the quiet, slow-moving waters of oxbow lakes, streams, pools and flooded forests of the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers. They are obligate air-breathers, meaning they surface frequently for air. They are also nocturnal, with poor vision, and can grow to more than 8 feet in length. Electric eels are known for their ability to generate electricity, stunning their prey with shocks of up to 860 volts. So, are electric eels saltwater fish?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of fish | Electric eel is a knifefish |
| Habitat | Rivers, streams, ponds, swamps, and flooded forests of the Amazon and Orinoco basins in South America |
| Water type | Freshwater |
| Diet | Fish, crustaceans, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and small mammals |
| Length | Up to 8 feet (some sources mention 9 feet) |
| Weight | Up to 44-45 pounds (some sources mention almost 50 pounds) |
| Electricity generation | Up to 600-800 volts |
| Vision | Poor vision, rely on low-level electrical pulses to navigate |
| Breathing | Obligate air-breathers, surfacing frequently to breathe |
| Behaviour | Nocturnal, solitary or pack hunters |
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What You'll Learn
Electric eels are not true eels
Electric eels have three electric organs that contain cells called electrocytes. When the electric eel senses prey or feels threatened by a predator, electrocytes create an electrical current that can release up to 600 volts. Their bodies contain electric organs with about 6,000 of these specialized cells, which store power like tiny batteries. When threatened or attacking prey, these cells will discharge simultaneously.
True eels, on the other hand, are elongated finned-fish belonging to the order Anguilliformes. There are more than 800 species of true eel, ranging from about 2 inches (5 centimetres) to 13 feet (4 metres) in length. True eels mostly live in saltwater, whereas electric eels are found in freshwater environments in South America. True eels can breathe underwater with gills, while electric eels need to surface about every ten minutes to breathe air.
In 2019, C. David de Santana and colleagues divided the electric eel species (E. electricus) into three species based on DNA divergence, ecology and habitat, anatomy and physiology, and electrical ability. The three species are E. electricus (now in a narrower sense than before), and the two new species E. voltai and E. varii.
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They are a type of knifefish
Electric eels are not actually eels. They are a type of knifefish, and are more closely related to carp and catfish. Electric eels were first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1766, who placed them in the same genus as Gymnotus carapo, the banded knifefish. In 1864, Theodore Gill moved the electric eel to its own genus, Electrophorus.
The scientific name of the electric eel is Electrophorus electricus, which hints at its ability to produce a high-voltage electric charge. Electric eels are indeed the champions among electric fishes, producing up to 600 volts of electricity. They have three electric organs that contain cells called electrocytes, which store power like tiny batteries. When the electric eel senses prey or feels threatened by a predator, the electrocytes create an electrical current.
Electric eels have a distinctive appearance, with long, cylindrical bodies and a slightly flattened head. They can grow to more than 8 feet in length and weigh up to 44-45 pounds, although some reports suggest they can reach nearly 50 pounds. Their skin is thick and scaleless, usually dark grey to brown, with a yellow or red underbelly. Electric eels are found in the quiet, slow-moving waters of the Amazon and Orinoco basins in South America. They prefer muddy waters and are mostly nocturnal, using low-level electrical pulses to navigate and locate prey in their dark environment.
Electric eels are top predators, with few other animals willing or able to take them on due to their high-voltage defence mechanism. They feed on a variety of prey, including fish, crustaceans, insects, amphibians, reptiles, and even small mammals. Electric eels are air-breathers, which means they need to surface frequently to breathe, a feature that distinguishes them from true eels, which can breathe underwater using gills.
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Electric eels are found in freshwater
Electric eels are not true eels, despite their name and eel-shaped body. They are actually members of the order Gymnotiformes, which is the order of South American knifefishes. They are more closely related to carp and catfish than to true eel families. True eels belong to the order Anguilliformes and mostly live in saltwater, whereas electric eels are exclusively freshwater.
The scientific name of the electric eel is Electrophorus electricus, reflecting its ability to generate an electrical discharge of up to 600-860 volts. They have three electric organs that contain cells called electrocytes, which store power like tiny batteries. These organs make up about 80% of the eel's body, with the remaining vital organs packed into the front one-fifth of the body.
There are three species of electric eel: E. electricus, E. voltai, and E. varii. E. electricus is found in the Guiana Shield, E. voltai in the Brazilian shield and northwards, and E. varii in the lowlands, including streams, grasslands, ravines, and ponds. Electric eels are mostly nocturnal, and their diet consists of fish, amphibians, crustaceans, insects, and small vertebrates.
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They are native to South America
Electric eels are native to South America, where they inhabit the quiet, slow-moving waters of oxbow lakes, streams, pools, and flooded forests of the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers. They prefer side channels but also live further inland, in the murky waters of the middle and lower Amazon and Orinoco basins. Their range spans northern South America, including Brazil, the Guianas, Suriname, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
The species now defined as Electrophorus electricus was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1766, based on early field research by Europeans in South America and specimens sent back to Europe for study. He noted that the fish is found in the rivers of Suriname and can deliver painful shocks. Electric eels are not closely related to true eels (Anguilliformes) but are members of the electroreceptive knifefish order Gymnotiformes, which is more closely related to carp and catfish.
In 2019, C. David de Santana and colleagues divided E. electricus into three species based on DNA divergence, ecology, anatomy, physiology, and electrical ability: E. electricus (in a narrower sense than before), and two new species, E. voltai and E. varii. E. electricus is northern, confined to the Guiana Shield, while E. voltai is southern, ranging from the Brazilian shield northwards; both species inhabit upland waters. E. varii is found in the central lowlands, in a variable environment with habitats ranging from streams and grassland to ponds and ravines, and experiences large changes in water level between the wet and dry seasons.
Electric eels are obligate air-breathing animals, with poor vision complemented by electrolocation. They have a mucous membrane in their mouths that can absorb oxygen from the air, helping them survive during the dry season when water levels are low and oxygen levels are reduced. They are mostly nocturnal and feed on fish, amphibians, crustaceans, insects, and small vertebrates such as reptiles and mammals.
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Electric eels are top predators
Electric eels are not actually eels, but neotropical freshwater fish from South America. They are members of the electroreceptive knifefish order Gymnotiformes and are closely related to carp and catfish. They are top predators that use their enormous electrical charge to stun prey and dissuade predators.
Electric eels have three electric organs that contain around 6,000 specialised cells called electrocytes, which store power like tiny batteries. When the electric eel senses prey or feels threatened, the electrocytes create an electrical current that can release up to 860 volts. This high-voltage electric organ discharge (EOD) is used to strike and disable selected prey.
The process of stunning prey involves a complex behavioural sequence, including prey detection, prey twitch, stunning, and the use of dipole attacks to subdue difficult prey. This solitary hunting strategy is energetically costly but efficient and prevents the engagement of other individuals during foraging.
In some cases, electric eels have been observed to engage in social predation, where groups of over 100 eels herd small fishes into a "prey ball" and launch joint predatory strikes. This behaviour has been recorded during both diurnal and nocturnal observations and involves multiple high-voltage attacks.
The electric eel's ability to generate electricity makes it a top predator in its freshwater habitat. Its electrical capabilities allow it to effectively stun and capture prey, as well as defend itself against predators.
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Frequently asked questions
No, electric eels are not saltwater fish. They are a genus of neotropical freshwater fish from South America.
Electric eels are a type of knifefish, more closely related to carp and catfish than to true eels. They are poor swimmers and need to surface frequently to breathe air.
Electric eels use their electrical capabilities to stun prey and defend against predators. They can discharge up to 860 volts of electricity. They also have motion-sensitive hairs along their bodies to detect prey.
