How Electric Eels Zap Their Prey

(Photo : Wikipedia) Electric eels can send electricity through water in 1/50 of a second.

Electric eels (Electrophorus electricus) can deliver shocks that are similar in severity to tasers, said a new story.

These electric shocks can reach up to 600 volts, powerful enough to leave a horse writhing in pain. These electric shocks generated by eels are the most powerful from any marine animal.

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The shocks also cause animals to twitch and go into convulsions, thereby revealing their hiding places to hungry eel predators.

Using high speed cameras, researchers frm Vanderbilt University observed and examined eels in a large tank as the animal hunted prey such as koi fish. The cameras recorded at 1,000 frames per second and captured the attacks in high quality video.

Researchers noted how eels generated electrical charges, as well as the after effects of the electric shock that result in muscle spasms and convulsions.

The eels watch out for fish that swim past them and release high voltage shocks that travel through the water to stun prey. These shocks cause muscles of the fish to contract, paralyzing them and preventing them from swimming for safety. This is similar to how a taser works.

Researchers injected the koi fish with a drug that inhibited the communication links between muscles and the nerves of the fish to stop the contraction during the shocks. This demonstrated how electricity affects the motor neurons of the fish and is the first time this effect has been observed.

The eels’ strategy to catch its prey is to release two or three high voltage blasts that causes the fish to twitch. These electric shock attacks occurred in just one fiftieth of a second.

This is a remarkable example of evolution in action, according to Jason Gallant from Michigan State Universit,. The eel carefully plans its actions. It doesn’t unleash electric voltage into the water to kill all surrounding prey. Eels were about six inches away from the prey before the electric attack begins.

This study was published in the journal, Science.

 

 

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How Electric Eels Zap Their Prey