2015/10/20 by Kenneth C. Catania · 1 citation
Environmental Science · Engineering · #Fish biology, ecology, and behavior #Fish Ecology and Management Studies #Ichthyology and Marine Biology #Electroreception #Electric fish #Electrical conductor #Electric organ #Predation #Fish <Actinopterygii> #Voltage #Biology #Zoology #Fishery #Electrical engineering #Ecology #Engineering
paper · pdf · doi:10.1038/ncomms9638
openalex publication_date 2015/10/20 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Electric eels (Electrophorus electricus) are legendary for their ability to incapacitate fish, humans, and horses with hundreds of volts of electricity. The function of this output as a weapon has been obvious for centuries but its potential role for electroreception has been overlooked. Here it is shown that electric eels use high-voltage simultaneously as a weapon and for precise and rapid electrolocation of fast-moving prey and conductors. Their speed, accuracy, and high-frequency pulse rate are reminiscent of bats using a 'terminal feeding buzz' to track insects. Eel's exhibit 'sensory conflict' when mechanosensory and electrosensory cues are separated, striking first toward mechanosensory cues and later toward conductors. Strikes initiated in the absence of conductors are aborted. In addition to providing new insights into the evolution of strongly electric fish and showing electric eels to be far more sophisticated than previously described, these findings reveal a trait with markedly dichotomous functions.