10 Facts about Electric Eels
Facts about Electric Eels tell the readers about the South American electric fish. The biological name of this animal is Electrophorus electricus. If you think that it is an eel, you are very wrong because it is actually a knifefish. The only species in the genus is electric fish. The length of an electric eel is measured at 6 feet and 7 inches or 2 metres. The body is cylindrical and elongated. It has the weight of 44 lb or 20 kilogram. The belly of an electric ell has orange or yellow color. The belly is darker on the mature female electric eels. The back features the dark gray to brown color. Let us get other interesting facts about electric eels below:
Facts about Electric Eels 1: the body features
The end of the snout features the square mouth. The anal fin can be spotted from the body length to the tail tip. The hearing ability of electric eel is increased due to the presence of Weberian apparatus. Two chambers are found on the swim bladder. The buoyancy of the fish is maintained due to the extended the posterior chamber.
Facts about Electric Eels 2: air breathers
Electric eels breathe the air. Therefore, they have to inhale the air by reaching the surface of the water for every 10 minutes. Then they will return to the bottom of the water.
Electric Eels
Facts about Electric Eels 3: catfish
Electric eels have closer relationship to catfish than to the true eels. Despite the name, electric eels are not eels.
Read Also: 10 Facts about Eastern Box Turtle
Facts about Electric Eels 4: electricity
The animal is called as an electric eel because its ability to generate electricity. The Sach’s organ, Hunter’s organ and main organ are the three pairs of abdominal organs, which can produce the electricity.
Facts about Electric Eels
Facts about Electric Eels 5: electric organ discharges
The high voltage and low voltage are the two types of electric discharges produced by the organs of electric eels.
Facts about Electric Eels 6: the voltage
The voltage produced by the electric eels can reach 860 watts and 860 volts for 2 milliseconds. Due to the very short duration of the electric shock, the possibility is very low for an adult human to be dead when being shocked by the electric eel. However, it will be a bit painful.
Electric Eels Image
Facts about Electric Eels 7: Michael Faraday
One of the scientists who studied electric eel is Michael Faraday. He got the eel from Suriname.
See Also: 10 Facts about Eels
Facts about Electric Eels 8: where to find electric eel?
You can find electric eels on the fresh waters in the Orinoco River and Amazon basins. They also inhabit in the coastal plains, small rivers, creeks and swamps.
Electric Eels Pic
Facts about Electric Eels 9: the food
The primary food for electric eels is invertebrates. Small mammals and fish are other foods for adult electric eels.
Facts about Electric Eels 10: reproduction
The reproduction process of electric eels is unique. The female will lay eggs on the nest created by the male from his saliva.
Facts about Electric Eels
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