Electric Eel
OrderGymnotiformes
FamilyGymnotidae
HabitatRivers
RangeSouth America
Max Length250 cm
Max Weight20 kg
DietCarnivore
About the Electric Eel
Not a true eel but a knifefish. Three specialized organs generate electricity, with discharges measured at up to 860 volts in one species. It uses weak pulses to navigate and strong ones to stun prey. In 2019 scientists split it into three species. Breathes air and must surface regularly.
Related Species
Flathead Catfish
Can reach 1.5 meters and 56 kg. Nocturnal ambush hunters. Their barbels (whiskers) are loa...
Piranha (Red-bellied)
Hollywood exaggerates their danger — attacks on humans are rare and usually involve only s...
Alligator Gar
One of the largest freshwater fish in North America, with a broad, alligator-like snout an...
American Paddlefish
Named for its long, paddle-shaped snout, which is covered with sensors that detect the ele...