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This may come as a shock… but the electric eel (Electrophorus electricus) isn’t an eel. It’s technically a knifefish and is more closely related to catfish and carp! This hefty critter, which can reach lengths of 8 ft (2.4 m) and weigh as much as 45 lbs (20.4 kg), delivers a charge of more than 650 volts—that’s more than five times the power of a standard outlet in the United States. Its slimy skin acts like a shield, protecting it from its own shocks.

This fish inhabits the Amazon and Orinoco Rivers in South America. With poor eyesight, it relies on electrolocation to find prey, releasing small electrical discharges as it hunts. The electric eel also uses its unique abilities to stun prey and keep predators at bay.

Photo: Oleksandr (Alex) Zakletsky, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

#nature #science #wildlife #amazingnature
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