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Zap! Zap! Zap!
How does an electric eel deliver a shock five times greater than a household socket? The answer lies in its tail. All of its vital organs are located directly behind its head. The rest of its body, or tail, holds the electricity-producing organs. These organs are made of thousands of cells called electrocytes. Each electrocyte gives off a small charge of electricity when stimulated. The combined effect of all these electrocytes can be a pretty big shock—especially to unsuspecting prey! It's even strong enough to knock a human unconscious!
OLOGY CARD 121
Series: Animal
electric eel
The electric eel is long and narrow like an eel, but it is actually not an eel at all. In fact, electric eels are probably more closely related to catfishes. A large adult electric eel can deliver a charge of up to 650 volts—to stun prey, keep away predators, and to help them navigate through muddy water.
Image credits: main image, © Brian Gratwicke/CC BY-NC 2.0.