Wiktor Wise
The electric eel is a fascinating creature that has captured the curiosity of humans for centuries. Long before the discovery of electricity, various cultures encountered these electric fish and gave them names that reflected their unique characteristics. While the exact terms used by indigenous people from South America have been lost to history, records from ancient and medieval civilizations provide intriguing insights into how these creatures were perceived before the scientific understanding of electricity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Electrophorus electricus |
| Common name | Electric eel |
| Other names | Torpedo fish, Thunderer of the Nile, Raad or Raask (translates to "shaker" or "thunder") |
| First recorded by Europeans | 1740s |
| Categorized by | Carl Linnaeus in 1766 as Gymnotus electricus |
| Indigenous names | No records exist |
| Indigenous language example | Tamanaku, a now-extinct Cariban language, in which the word for electric eel was "arimna", meaning "that which deprives of motion" |
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What You'll Learn
Indigenous names for electric eels
The electric eel, a neotropical freshwater fish from South America, has been known by many names throughout history. Indigenous names for these creatures often reflected their ability to generate powerful electric shocks, which was seen as a mystical power.
In the Tupi-Guarani language of the South American indigenous Tupi-Guarani people, the electric eel was called "poraquê", which meant "fish that gives shocks". The Munduruku people of the Amazon Rainforest called them “jaraqui tête”, or "electric fish". In Tamanaku, a now-extinct Cariban language, the word for electric eel was "arimna", meaning "that which deprives of motion".
In ancient Rome, electric eels were called “gymnotus” or “electrophorus”, both of which translate to "electric fish". In medieval Europe, they were referred to as “volta electrica”, with “volta” meaning “electricity” in Latin.
Before the discovery of electricity, different cultures and scientific communities had their own unique terminologies to describe these enigmatic creatures. In ancient Greece, they were called “thunderbolts of the river” due to their electrical discharge. In the 1600s, natural philosophers speculated that the rapid movements of specialised muscles could account for their actions. This idea was widely accepted until the 1750s when the possibility that their shocks might be electrical began to be discussed.
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European categorisation
The European categorisation of the electric eel began in the 1740s, when Europeans first recorded the existence of the species. By this time, they had some understanding of the electric capabilities of the eel. In 1766, Carl Linnaeus, "the father of modern taxonomy", named the species Gymnotus electricus, placing it in the same genus as Gymnotus carapo (the banded knifefish). The name was based on early field research conducted by Europeans in South America and specimens sent back to Europe for study.
In 1800, the explorer Alexander von Humboldt recorded an encounter with a group of indigenous people who went fishing with horses. He observed that the pounding of the horses' hooves drove the electric eels out of the muddy waters, causing them to attack and shock the horses. Humboldt noted that the indigenous people did not eat the electric organs of the eels and that they feared the fish, avoiding fishing for them in the usual way.
In the 19th century, further research was conducted on the electric eel's electrical properties. In 1838, the chemist Michael Faraday tested the electrical properties of an electric eel imported from Surinam, publishing his findings in his "Experimental Researches in Electricity".
In 2019, the electric eel genus, which had been considered monotypic for over two centuries, was split into three species: E. electricus, E. voltai, and E. varii. These species are now recognised as strongly electric fishes within the order Gymnotiformes, which also includes weakly electric knifefishes.
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Electric eels as medical therapy
Electric eels have been known to humans for much longer than electricity as we know it today. The electric eel is a neotropical freshwater predator that spends its days in the muddy streams of the Amazon in South America.
Indigenous people from South America had their own names for these animals before the arrival of European colonists. In the now-extinct Tamanaku language, for example, the word for electric eel was "arimna", meaning "that which deprives of motion".
Electric eels were also encountered by ancient civilisations in Egypt and China, and in the Mediterranean. The ancient Egyptians called electric fish “the thunderer of the Nile”. The shock or numbing effect of electric eels was remarked upon and frequently used as medical therapy in Ancient Rome and China. Pliny the Elder, in his book "Natural History", mentions the numbing effect, which is why they were called "torpedo fish" because "torpor" in Latin means "numbing".
Today, electric eels continue to inspire medical therapy and research. A flexible, transparent electrical device inspired by the electric eel could lead to body-friendly power sources for implanted health monitors and medication dispensers, augmented-reality contact lenses, and countless other applications. The soft cells—made of hydrogel and salt—form the first potentially biocompatible artificial electric organ that generates more than 100 volts. It could be enough to power a small medical device like a pacemaker.
The electric eel’s body contains three pairs of electric organs that allow them to generate low-voltage to high-voltage electricity. Their organs hold cells called electrocytes that store power and act as batteries. The electric organs in eels are incredibly sophisticated; they’re far better at generating power than we are.
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Electric eels as a source of electricity
Electric eels are like living batteries. They have stacks of modified muscle cells called electrocytes that have both a positive and a negative side. When the cells are triggered, they discharge an electrical impulse into the surrounding water. Electric eels have three pairs of electric organs that allow them to generate low-voltage to high-voltage electricity. These organs are known as the main organ, the Hunter's organ, and the Sachs' organ.
The electric eel's bioelectric capabilities were mankind's first encounter with electric discharge. They were first recorded by Europeans in the 1740s, and by that time, they already had some understanding of the eel's electric capabilities. In the 1800s, Italian scientist Alessandro Volta invented the first battery, inspired by the electric eel. He described his invention as an artificial replication of the natural organs of animal electricity found in the fish.
While it is technically possible to harness the electricity produced by electric eels, as demonstrated by the Tennessee Aquarium, which used a tank of electric eels to power the lights on a Christmas tree, it is not a viable source of renewable energy. This is because electric eels do not discharge high-power electricity continuously, and it takes them a long time to recharge. Furthermore, farming electric eels for electricity would be unethical and would not be 'free' energy, as the eels would need to be fed and kept in a suitable environment.
A more feasible way to harness the power of electric eels may be to take electric eel tissue and culture it in a lab to grow biobatteries for storing energy. Researchers have already drawn upon the electric eel to create a powerful, flexible battery that may one day be able to power pacemakers and other implantable electric devices.
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The study of electric eels
Electric eels, native to the muddy streams of the Amazon in South America, have long fascinated humans with their bioelectric capabilities. The study of these creatures has played a significant role in advancing our understanding of electricity.
Early Observations and Names
Before the formal discovery of electricity, electric eels were observed and named by various ancient and medieval cultures. The Greek physician Hippocrates, who died around 370 BCE, referred to electric sea creatures as "torpedo fish," noting their numbing or shocking effect. Pliny the Elder, in his book "Natural History," also described the shock or numbing sensation caused by these fish, providing an early account of their electric nature.
In the Roman world, the successors of Hippocrates found medicinal applications for the electric properties of torpedo fish, using them to treat pain. Similarly, the ancient Egyptians encountered electric fish, calling them "Thunder of the Nile" or "the thunderer of the Nile," and utilizing them for therapeutic purposes.
During the 12th century, Muslim scholars had their own name for electric sea creatures, calling them "raad" or "raask," which translate to "shaker" or "thunder."
Indigenous people from South America also had their own names for electric eels before Europeans studied them. Unfortunately, there are no records of the specific terms used by these native communities. One example from the now-extinct Tamanaku language, a Cariban language, is the word "arimna," which means "that which deprives of motion."
European Exploration and Scientific Study
In the 18th century, European explorers and scientists began to formally document and study electric eels. The first reports of electric eels in European scientific circles date back to the 1740s, and by then, they had some understanding of the electric capabilities of these fish.
In 1766, Carl Linnaeus, often referred to as "the father of modern taxonomy," categorized the electric eel as "Gymnotus electricus," based on early field research conducted in South America and specimens sent back to Europe. This scientific name, with its specific epithet "electricus," likely influenced the modern English name of these fish.
In 1800, the explorer Alexander von Humboldt provided another early account of electric eels. He observed indigenous people fishing with horses and witnessed the powerful impact of electric eels on both the horses and the indigenous fishers. Humboldt noted the recovery process of the eels after discharging electricity, stating that they required "long rest and plenty of nourishment to replace the loss of galvanic power."
The German zoologist Carl Sachs conducted extensive research on electric eels in Latin America. He was equipped with a galvanometer and electrodes to measure the electric organ discharge of these fish. Sachs discovered what is now known as "Sachs' organ," contributing significantly to our understanding of electric eels' biology.
In 1838-1839, the chemist Michael Faraday tested the electrical properties of an electric eel imported from Surinam. He conducted experiments to determine and quantify the direction and magnitude of the electric current produced by these fish, proving that their impulses were electrical. Faraday's work, including his famous "Experimental Researches in Electricity," further advanced our knowledge of electricity and its applications.
Recent Developments
In the 21st century, our understanding of electric eels continues to evolve. In 2008, Jian Xu and David Lavan designed artificial cells that could replicate the electrical behavior of electric eel electrocytes. This breakthrough provided new opportunities for studying voltage-gated sodium channels in molecular detail, a mechanism that triggers muscle contraction in many species.
In 2019, advancements in DNA sequencing technology led to a revision of the electric eel genus. It was split into three species: E. electricus, E. voltai, and E. varii. This revision highlighted the diverse nature of these fascinating creatures and opened new avenues for further research.
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Frequently asked questions
Electric eels were called various things by observers in the ancient and medieval worlds. The Greek physician Hippocrates (died c. 370 BCE) called them "torpedo fish", Pliny the Elder referred to them by the same name in his book "Natural History", and the ancient Egyptians called them "Thunder of the Nile". Muslim scholars during the 12th century called electric eels "raad" or "raask", which translate to "shaker" or "thunder". Indigenous people from South America also had their own names for electric eels, but unfortunately, there are no records of what these names were.
Electric eels were first associated with modern conceptions of electricity in 1799. However, Europeans had been studying the electric eel since the 1740s and were aware of its electrical nature.
The electric eel was categorized as Gymnotus electricus by Carl Linnaeus in 1766. In 2019, electric eels were split into three species: E. electricus, E. voltai, and E. varii.
Electric eels are unique in that they are capable of emitting electricity. They have three pairs of electric organs that allow them to generate low-voltage to high-voltage electricity. Their organs contain cells called electrocytes that store power and act as batteries.
Early humans were fascinated by electric eels and their ability to emit electricity. They were used for medicinal purposes in the ancient world, and in the 1800s, the explorer Alexander von Humboldt observed indigenous people fishing with horses and witnessed electric eels attacking and shocking the horses.
