Electric Eel Facts

The scientific name of the electric eel is Electrophorus electricus. Although they are called eels, they are not related to the eels, but they have an appearance similar to that of an eel. One of the facts about an electric eel is that they are related to carp and catfish. They are known for the powerful electric charges, it generates both for hunting as well as in self-defense. One of the interesting facts about the electric eel is that the electric charge is produced in a pair of organs, which are located in the abdomen of the eel. The organs are so big in size, that they occupy as much as 80% of the abdominal space and leave just about 20% space for the other vital organs.

Interesting Facts about an Electric Eel

The electric eels have serpentine appearance. They are found in fresh waters and get their name from the electric charge they generate. They are a type of fish and are carnivores. Without wasting any more time, we will turn towards the facts.

Habitat
They are commonly found in the South American region in the Amazon and Orinoco basins. Electric eels can also be found in Guianas as well. They prefer to stay in fresh murky streams and ponds, but in calm waters. They prefer floodplains, swamps, creeks and coastal plans.

Description
Electric eel have a snake-like appearance. Their skin is thick like a snake and have a slimy skin. They are often known to grow as long as 8 feet in length. They weigh around 45 pounds. It is easy to spot the electric eel as they have a long, cylindrical bodies, but flattened heads. They normally have dark green or grayish top, but are yellowish underneath. The electric eels have poor sight and are basically nocturnal in nature.

Diet
Electric eels are actually carnivores. They feed mainly on fish, amphibians, small birds and even small mammals. The young electric eels are seen feeding on invertebrates like shrimp. The adults may be seen on crustaceans as well. They are known as predators, as most of the animals are not able to capture and eat them.

Electric Organs
What sets these animals apart from the other animals are their electric organs. They have three electric organs. These organs are made of electroplates, and are placed in rows. The three plates are connected with one another, due to which even a small electrical discharge increases manifold and the charge is summed up. When the charge sums up, it becomes strong enough to kill small animals. The electricity emitted from the organs is used as a radar to navigate and find prey. The electric charge is also used as a signal to communicate with one another. It is seen that a dominating male emits loudest, noisiest and frequent signals, while female electric eels emit short and lasting signals.

Air Breathers
Like the electric organs, there is another characteristic of the electric eels. They are air breathers. They have a complicated breathing mechanism, due to which they have to come to the water surface after regular intervals to breathe.

Reproduction
Electric eels are known to have an unusual breeding behavior. When it is the dry season, the male electric eels make a nest using their saliva. The females lay eggs in these nests. You will be astonished to know that in one laying as many as 17000 electric eels are hatched. It is normally seen that the first born electric eels eat the eggs from the batches of eggs, which were laid after them.

These were some of the interesting electric eel facts. Humans should keep a distance from electric eels, as they can give repeated shocks, which can cause respiratory and/or heart failure. At the same time, it is recommended that they not be kept as pets at home.