Electric fish: list, features and interesting facts

Electric discharges in nature occur not only during thunderstorms, in the form of lightning. The processes that cause weak electrical phenomena occur, for example, in many plants. But the most amazing carrier of this ability are electric fishes. Their gift to produce high-power discharges is not available to any species of animals.

Why fish electricity?

The fact that some fish can strongly "beat" the person or animal that touched them, even the ancient inhabitants of the sea coasts knew. The Romans believed that at this time, the inhabitants of the depths are allocated some strong poison, which causes the victim to have temporary paralysis. And only with the development of science and technology it became clear that it is natural for fish to create electric discharges of different strength.

Which fish is electric? Scientists argue that these abilities are characteristic of almost all representatives of this species of fauna, but most of them have small discharges, which are felt only by powerful sensitive instruments. They use them to send signals to each other - as a means of communication. The strength of radiated signals allows us to determine in the fish environment who is who, or in other words, to find out the strength of our opponent.

Electric fish use their special organs to protect themselves from enemies, as a weapon for the destruction of production, and also as locator-guides.

Where is the power plant?

Electrical phenomena in the fish body interested scientists who are engaged in natural energy phenomena. The first experiments on the study of biological electricity were conducted by Faraday. For his experiments, he used skates as the most powerful producers of charges.

One thing on which all researchers agreed that the main role in the electrogenesis belongs to the cell membranes that are able to decompose the positive and negative ions in the cells, depending on the excitation. Modified fish muscles, which are connected in series, are the so-called power stations, and connective tissues are conductors.

"Energy-producing" bodies can have a variety of types and locations. Thus, in skates and eels, these are kidney-shaped formations at the sides, in elephant fish - cylindrical filaments in the region of the tail.

As already mentioned, producing current on one or another scale is typical of many representatives of this class, but there are real electric fish that are dangerous not only for other animals, but also for humans.

Electric snake fish

South American electric acne has nothing to do with ordinary acne. It is named so simply by outward resemblance. This long, up to 3 meters, snake-like fish, weighing up to 40 kg, is capable of generating a current of 600 V! Close communication with such a fish can cost lives. Even if the current does not become the direct cause of death, then it leads to loss of consciousness accurately. A helpless person can be drowned and drowned.

Electric acne live in the Amazon, in many shallow rivers. The local population, knowing their abilities, does not go into the water. Electro-waves produced by a snake fish diverge within a radius of 3 meters. In this case, the eel shows aggression and can attack without special need. Probably, he does it with a fright, since his main diet is a small fry. In this regard, a live "electric hobby" does not know any problems: it releases a charge, and breakfast is ready, lunch and dinner at the same time.

A family of skates

Electric fish - stingrays - come together in three families and number about forty species. They tend not only to generate electricity, but also to accumulate it, in order to use it in future for their intended purpose.

The main purpose of the shots is to frighten off enemies and mince the small fishes for food. If the ram will release all its accumulated charge at one time, its power will be enough to kill or immobilize a large animal. But this happens very rarely, because the fish - the electric ram - after full "de-energizing" becomes weak and vulnerable, it takes time to build up the capacity again. So, its power supply system is controlled by one of the brain departments, which acts as a relay-switch.

A family of gneiss, or electric rays, is also called "torpedoes". The largest of them is the inhabitant of the Atlantic Ocean, the black torpedo (Torpedo nobiliana). This type of rays, which reach a length of 180 cm, produces the strongest current. And with close contact with him, a person can lose consciousness.

Moresby's Skate and Tokyo Torpedo (Torpedo tokionis ) are the deepest representatives of their family. They can be found at a depth of 1,000 m. And the smallest among its counterparts is the Indian ramp, its maximum length is only 13 cm. Near the shores of New Zealand lives a blind ramp - its eyes are completely hidden under the skin layer.

Electric catfish

In the turbid waters of tropical and subtropical Africa live electric fish - catfish. They are quite large specimens, from 1 to 3 m in length. Soma do not like fast currents, they live in cozy nests on the bottom of reservoirs. The electrical organs that are located on the sides of the fish are capable of producing a voltage of 350 V.

Sluggish and apathetic catfish do not like to sail away from their home, crawls out of it for hunting at night, but also does not like uninvited guests. He meets them with light electric waves, and they also extract prey for themselves. Discharges help the catfish not only to hunt, but also to navigate in dark muddy water. Meat of electric catfish is considered a delicacy of the local African population.

The Nile dragon

Another African electric representative of the kingdom of fish is the Nilskim, or Aba-Aba. He was portrayed in his frescos by the pharaohs. He lives not only in the Nile, but in the waters of the Congo, the Niger and some lakes. It is a beautiful "stylish" fish with a long, elegant body, from forty centimeters to one and a half meters in length. Lower fins absent, but one upper extends along the entire body. Below it, there is a "battery", which produces electromagnetic waves with a power of 25 V almost constantly. The head of the gymnast bears a positive charge, and the tail - negative.

Its electrical abilities are used by the hymnars not only to search for food and location, but also in mating games. By the way, the males of the hymns are simply terrificly fanatical fathers. They do not depart from the laying of eggs. And if you just come close to someone to the children, Daddy will piss off the offender with an electric shocker, which will not seem too small.

Gimnarchs are very cute - their elongated, dragon-like, muzzle and cunning eyes have gained love among aquarists. True, pretty hands are pretty aggressive. Of the few fry, settled in the aquarium, only one will remain alive.

Sea cow

Large bulging eyes, an ever-open mouth, framed by a fringe, an advanced jaw make a fish like an ever-grumpy grumpy old woman. What is the name of an electric fish with such a portrait? Sea cow of the family of astrologers. Comparison with the cow is caused by two horns on the head.

This unpleasant person spends most of the time digging into the sand and waiting for the prey passing by. The enemy will not pass: the cow is armed, as they say, to the teeth. The first line of attack is a long red tongue-worm, with which the astrologer lures naive fish and catches them without even getting out of the shelter. But if necessary, then it will soar instantly and stun the victim before losing consciousness. The second weapon for their own defense - behind the eyes and above the fins are poisonous spikes. And that is not all! The third powerful weapon is located behind the head - electrical organs that generate charges with a voltage of 50 V.

Who else is electric?

The above are not the only electric fish. Names not listed by us sound like this: Peters's gnathon, black nozhela, mormiry, diplobitis. As you can see, there are many of them. Science has made a big step forward in the study of this strange ability of some fish, but it was not completely possible to unravel the fully mechanism of accumulating high-power electricity until now.

Fish are treated?

Official medicine has not confirmed the possession of the electromagnetic field of fish curative effect. But folk medicine has long used the electric waves of rays to cure many diseases of rheumatic nature. For this purpose, people specially walk around and get weak discharges. Here's a kind of natural electrophoresis.

Electric catfish inhabitants of Africa and Egypt use to treat the severe stage of fever. To increase immunity in children and strengthen the general state, equatorial residents force those who touch Soma, and also drink water in which this fish has been swimming for a while.