Facts about Electric Eel Biophysics
- 05
Weak electric organ discharges, distinct from the high-voltage pulses, are used by electric eels for electrolocation and communication with other individuals.
- 04
Specialized cells called electrocytes generate electricity by exploiting ion channels, rapidly moving sodium and potassium ions across membranes to produce each discharge pulse.
- 03
An electric eel's organ used for electric discharge occupies roughly four-fifths of its total body length, leaving little room for other organs.
- 02
Electric eels can produce discharges of up to 600 volts, one of the highest bioelectric outputs recorded in any animal.
- 01
The electric eel generates high-voltage discharges using specialized electrocytes, cells derived from muscle tissue that are stacked in series to amplify voltage output.