Electric Eel

Not an eel but a South American knifefish, and it produces the most powerful electric discharge in the animal kingdom: up to 860 volts. A predator that literally electrocutes its prey.

Electrophorus electricus, the electric eel, is a fish in the Gymnotidae family inhabiting the rivers of Panamanian Darién and the Amazon. Despite its name, it is not a true eel but a knifefish, related to carps. It can reach 2.5 meters long and 20 kg. Its electric organs, occupying 80% of its body, generate discharges up to 860 volts—enough to stun a horse—used for hunting and defense. It can breathe atmospheric air and must do so every 10 minutes. It is a nocturnal predator that locates prey using a low-voltage electric field.

Habitat

Murky rivers and streams in Darién