Many people do not know why this fish emits electricity
Electric eels (also known as electric eels) live in the Amazon region, characterized by special organs that discharge electricity. In addition, they also use weaker electric pulses to determine the location of prey, similar to the echolocation of bats and dolphins.
An electric eel can be 2.4 m long and weigh nearly 23 kg, much larger than its prey in the water. Therefore, the current with a voltage of up to 650 V discharged may have less effect on the fish than on the prey.
However, when not in water, an electric eel may be more sensitive to its own power. Researcher Jason Gallant of Michigan State University, USA has heard of cases where they showed signs of convulsions when pulled from underwater. It is likely that their current does not easily disappear into the air, but instead travels through wet skin and causes a more shocking effect.
Gallant’s team also found that many electric fish species express the same genes that code for structural proteins that can insulate the specialized organ that discharges electricity.
However, according to Popsci, all of this is just speculation at this point. In fact, scientists have yet to really figure out why electric eels are immune to the electricity they release.
