Otis Singleton
Despite its name, an electric eel is not a true eel. Electric eels are members of the electroreceptive knifefish order Gymnotiformes, which is more closely related to carp and catfish. True eels, on the other hand, belong to the order Anguilliformes. Electric eels are native to South America and can be found in fresh waters, whereas true eels are often found in saltwater. Electric eels can grow up to 8 feet (2.5 meters) in length and have the ability to produce powerful electric shocks of up to 650 volts. With their long, cylindrical bodies and slightly flattened heads, they may resemble true eels, but their characteristics and behaviours set them apart.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name origin | Named after its ability to produce powerful electric shocks |
| Family | Electrophorus |
| Genus | Electrophorus |
| Species | E. electricus, E. voltai, E. varii |
| Habitat | Rivers of Surinam, Amazon, Guiana Shield, Brazilian Shield, and other upland and lowland waters |
| Diet | Small fish, armoured catfish, caecilian (a legless amphibian) |
| Length | Up to 8 feet (2.5 meters) or more |
| Weight | Up to 50 lbs (22.7 kg) |
| Vision | Poor |
| Electricity | Electric organs in the tail can produce up to 600-650 volts |
| Nocturnal | Yes |
| Air-breather | Yes |
| Related species | Carp, catfish, banded knifefish |
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What You'll Learn
Electric eels are not true eels
Despite their name, electric eels are not true eels. They are members of the electroreceptive knifefish order Gymnotiformes, which is more closely related to carp and catfish. True eels belong to the order Anguilliformes. Electric eels are also air-breathers, meaning they need to surface to breathe, whereas true eels can breathe underwater using gills.
Electric eels are found in fresh waters in South America, whereas true eels are typically found in saltwater. They are also distinguishable by their appearance, as electric eels can grow to 8 feet (2.5 meters) in length and have long, stout bodies that are somewhat cylindrical at the front and more flattened towards the tail end. They have smooth, thick, brown-to-black skin with a yellow or red underbelly and no scales. In contrast, true eels can range from 2 inches (5 cm) to 13 feet (4 meters) in length.
Electric eels have poor eyesight and rely on low-level electrical pulses to navigate and explore their surroundings. They emit a weak electric signal, which they use like radar to navigate, find prey, and locate a mate. When they sense prey or feel threatened by a predator, they generate higher levels of voltage to stun or kill their prey and protect themselves. Electric eels have special organs in their bodies that can release powerful electric charges of up to 600 to 650 volts.
The lineage of the electric eel genus is estimated to have split from its sister taxon, Gymnotus, during the Cretaceous period. In 2019, the electric eel genus, Electrophorus, was divided into three species: E. electricus, E. voltai, and E. varii. These species differ in their geographic range and habitat preferences within South America.
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They are electroreceptive knifefish
Electric eels are not considered "true" eels. They are electroreceptive knifefish, belonging to the order Gymnotiformes, which is made up of South American knifefishes. They are more closely related to carp and catfish.
The electric eel's name comes from its eel-shaped body and its ability to produce electric shocks. These shocks can be used to stun prey, usually smaller fish, and to protect against predators. They can produce shocks of up to 600 or 650 volts, which is powerful enough to knock a horse off its feet.
Electric eels have poor eyesight and use low-level electrical pulses to navigate and explore their surroundings. They emit a weak electric signal, which they use like a radar to navigate, find prey, and locate a mate. They live in muddy, dark waters and are mostly nocturnal.
Electric eels have long, stout bodies, with a cylindrical front that flattens towards the tail. They can grow to between 6 and 8 feet (2 to 2.5 meters) in length and weigh up to 20 to 50 pounds (9 to 22.7 kg). They have smooth, thick, brown-to-black skin with a yellow or red underbelly and no scales.
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Electric eels are nocturnal
Electric eels have poor vision, which is complemented by electrolocation. They are able to create an electric field around themselves that compensates for their poor eyesight in their murky water habitat. This electrolocation is also used for social communication, similar to echolocation. Electric eels have three pairs of electric organs, arranged longitudinally: the main organ, Hunter's organ, and Sachs' organ. These organs contain cells called electrocytes, which create an electrical current when the electric eel senses prey or feels threatened by a predator.
The electric eel's vital organs are contained in just one-fifth of its body, directly behind its head. The rest of its body is the electricity-producing tail. Electric eels have small eyes, and their lateral line canals are beneath the skin, but their position is visible as lines of pits on the head. They have a large mouth with one row of cone-shaped teeth on each jaw.
Electric eels are the largest of the knifefish and can grow to be almost 8 feet (2.5 m) long and weigh up to 44 lbs (20 kg). They have long, stout bodies, somewhat cylindrical at the front but more flattened towards the tail end. The body is cylindrical toward the front, becoming compressed laterally toward the tail. They have an elongated anal fin that runs most of the length of their body, and small pectoral fins. All other fins are absent.
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They are obligate air-breathing animals
Electric eels are obligate air-breathing animals, meaning they need to surface regularly to breathe air. They are not capable of breathing underwater with gills, unlike true eels. This is because they live in low-oxygen environments, such as muddy river bottoms and swamps, and sometimes in deep shade.
Obligate air-breathing is a crucial adaptation for electric eels, allowing them to survive in their preferred habitats. They typically inhabit muddy waters with low oxygen levels. By swimming to the surface to breathe, they can tolerate these challenging conditions.
The breathing behaviour of electric eels is influenced by their environment and physiology. They reside in freshwater rivers and swamps of South America, specifically in the Guiana Shield, Brazilian Shield, and lowland regions. These habitats experience significant variations in water levels between seasons, further emphasising the importance of air-breathing for survival during the dry season when water levels are lower and oxygen levels are likely to be reduced.
Electric eels are also known for their nocturnal nature, which may be related to their breathing needs. They are most active at night, when they hunt and navigate primarily using electrolocation due to their poor vision. This behaviour may be an adaptation to minimise energy expenditure by reducing the frequency of surfacing during the day, when they are less active.
Additionally, electric eels have a unique respiratory anatomy. Their vital organs are concentrated in just one-fifth of their body, located directly behind their heads. This compact arrangement may be advantageous for their air-breathing strategy, enabling efficient gas exchange and oxygen uptake during each breath.
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Electric eels are top predators
Electric eels are considered top predators, with few animals willing or able to take on these highly charged fish. They are nocturnal, obligate air-breathing animals with poor vision, which they compensate for with electrolocation. They live in the muddy waters of the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America, feeding on fish, amphibians, birds, and small mammals.
Electric eels are not "true" eels but are members of the electroreceptive knifefish order Gymnotiformes, which is more closely related to carp and catfish. They have long, cylindrical bodies and slightly flattened heads, with brown-to-black skin and a yellow or red underbelly. Electric eels can grow up to 8 feet in length and weigh up to 44 pounds, with males typically larger than females.
These eels are known for their ability to generate an enormous electrical charge of up to 600 volts to stun prey and protect themselves from predators. They have three electric organs containing around 6,000 specialized cells called electrocytes, which store power like tiny batteries. When the eel senses prey or feels threatened, these cells discharge simultaneously, creating a powerful electric current.
Electric eels are solitary hunters, employing complex predatory strategies that involve stunning prey with high-voltage electric organ discharges. However, they have also been observed engaging in social predation, where groups of over 100 eels herd small fish into a "prey ball" before launching joint strikes. This social behaviour may be an adaptation to the complex nature of solitary hunting, which involves a sequence of prey detection, stunning, and dipole attacks.
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Frequently asked questions
Electric eels are long fish from South America that produce electricity to help them catch prey. They are not considered "true" eels and are more closely related to carp and catfish.
True eels belong to the order Anguilliformes, whereas electric eels are in the order Gymnotiformes, or knife fishes. They are more closely related to catfish.
Electric eels have poor eyesight and use low-level electrical pulses to navigate and explore their surroundings. They can also generate higher levels of voltage to stun or kill prey and protect themselves from predators.
Electric eels can grow up to 8 feet (2.5 meters) in length, and some reports suggest they can grow up to 9 feet (2.75 meters) long.
