Facts about Electric Eel
The electric eel, or Electrophorus electricus, is a freshwater fish, not a true eel. They are Called eel for their elongated body. Their body length reaches up to 9 feet. Their weight reaches up to 60 pounds. Their Coloring is brownish with orange underside, spotty yellow on young. The electric eel is different from other electric fish in its ability to generate a stunning or even a killing electrical discharge. The electric eel can produce up to 600V in a single dischange -- this is 5 times the shock you would get from sticking your finger into an electrical socket. The electricity from an electric eel could be used to turn at least one light bulb on. Male electric eels live about 10-15 years. Female electric eels live about 12-22 years. After delivering a strong shock, the electric eel must then allow the electric organ to recharge. Batteries have to be recharged using an external source of energy; in the electric eel the energy to recharge the electric organ comes from the fish's metabolism. Electric eels are air-breathing fish that use vascular folds in the lining of the mouth for absorbing oxygen. Air is taken in through the mouth and out through the gill slits. They are found in the Amazon River Basin in South America, preferring marshy or stagnant areas where other fishes find it difficult to live due to the low dissolved oxygen levels. The electric eel should not be confused with eels found elsewhere. When the eel is at rest, there is no generation of electrical impulses. Electric eels kill or stun their prey with electric shocks. Electric eels do not have teeth, enabling them to swallow their prey easier. |
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