electric fish

Electric fish are a diverse group of aquatic animals capable of generating and using electric shocks. These specialized organs, known as bioelectric organs, are found in over 200 fish species and likely evolved early in vertebrate history.1

Electric fish use their electric abilities for various purposes, including hunting, self-defense, communication, and navigation. Powerful electric organs, like those in the electric eel and electric ray, can immobilize or kill prey. Other species, such as the electric catfish and knifefish, use weaker electric fields as a sense organ to detect objects and other organisms, a process called electroreception.12

The fundamental unit of an electric organ is a specialized cell called an electroplaque. Large numbers of these cells, arranged in series and parallel, generate the necessary voltage and current for the electric organ's function. The electric eel, for instance, can produce shocks up to 1,000 volts, capable of stunning humans.13