Looking for informanion on electric eel?

Question

For School Report

Answer 1

Scientific name: Electrophorus electricus



Classification:

Animalia > Chordata > Actinopterygii > Gymnotiformes > Electrophoridae > Electrophorus > E. electricus



Morphologicy:

Body elongated and cylindrical, almost without scales; head flattened; mouth large with one row of conical teeth on each jaw; presence of three abdominal pairs of electric organs; body color dark with anterior ventral part yellowish



Habitat:

Prefers muddy bottoms and calm waters. Also coastal plains, swamps and creeks



Feeding:

First-born larvae prey on other eggs and embryos coming from late spawning batches

Juveniles feed on invertebrates

Adults feed on fish and small mammals



Electric organ:

Flattened electrocytes, numbering to about hundreds of thousands, connected in series . Generates two type of electric organ discharges from different electric organs which are of myogenic derivation:

1) low-voltage (about 10 V)

2) high-voltage (about 50V)



Development

The development of electric organs happens very soon after birth. Strong electric organs do not develop until the fish is approximately 40 mm. Observations have shown small juveniles surrounding the head of the parent; this is most likely before the young develop their own orientation organs.



Reproduction

During the dry season. The eggs are deposited in a well-hidden nest made of saliva, built by the male. The electric eel is thought to be a fractional spawner



Links:

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=4535

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Electrophorus_electricus.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_eel

http://helium.vancouver.wsu.edu/~ingalls/eels/

http://www.oceanlight.com/lightbox.php?sp=electrophorus_electricus

Answer 2

The electric eel is not a true eel. They are members of a group of electrical fish that includes the knife fish and the ghost fish, both of which can also be seen at the Record Aquarium.. Their closest relatives outside of this group of electric fish are the catfish. An electric catfish can also be seen at the Aquarium. As can be seen from the diagram above, an electric eel is mostly tail. The internal organs are compressed into the anterior 1/8th of the body, and the rest of the fish consists of the long, electricity-producing tail. Extending down the entire tail region is an elongated anal fin. There is no dorsal fin.



Electric eels are not aggressive; They may produce a damaging shock when surprised or stepped on, but the primary use of its electrical talent is to repel potential predators or to immobilize their own prey. Although electric eels can grow to be large fish, their prey is usually a small creature that can be managed without teeth. The most common food item for electric eels is other fish.



A discharge from an electric eel can kill the small fish that are its primary food, but electric eels can also shock potential predators. A touch from the electric eel's tail can effectively disable a human or a large animal with a stunning shock, although a single discharge is usually not enough to kill. However repeated shocks could kill, and falling over in the water after a disabling discharge could result in drowning. An electric eel would NOT make a good pet!



Electric eels are air-breathing fish that use vascular folds in the lining of the mouth for absorbing oxygen. Air is taken in through the mouth and out through the gill slits. If you watch the fish in the Record Aquarium for a few minutes, you will see it rise to the surface to breath. Nearly 80% of the oxygen used by the fish is taken in this way.

Answer 3

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_eel

Answer 4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_eel

http://helium.vancouver.wsu.edu/~ingalls/eels/index.html

http://www.whozoo.org/Intro2000/tashcorm/tempagetwo.htm