AquaticRepublic.com - Electrophorus electricus (Gymnotidae) All Fishes

Close-up of head

All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Electrophorus electricus** (Linnaeus, 1766)
Common Names	Electric Eel Elektrisk ål (Sweden), Zitteraal (Germany)
Type Locality	Suriname; South American rivers.
Species Information
Size	2500mm or 98.4" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
General Remarks	Generates two type of electric organ discharges (EODs) from different electric organs which are of myogenic derivation: 1) low-voltage EODs (about 10 V) emitted by the Sach's organ at rates of up to 25 Hz, and 2) high-voltage EODs (about 50-fold) emitted by the main and Hunter's organs at peak rates of up to several hundred Hz. Low-voltage EOD has been associated with electro location whereas high-voltage EOD has been noted during predatory attacks. An EOD of 500 V was recorded from a 1 m specimen.
Habitat Information
Distribution	South America: Amazonas Basin. Orinoco, and related areas in northern South America.
IUCN Red List Category	Least Concern, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2020.
Husbandry Information
Breeding	In nature, males construct foam nests and guard the growing larvae until mid-January when the first seasonal rains flood the breeding area, causing the about 10 cm long young eels to disperse.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Systema naturae sive regna tria naturae v. 1 (pt 1), pp 427.
Registered Keepers	There is no registered keeper.
Wishlists	Love this species? Click the heart to add it to your wish list. There is no wish to keep this species.
Spotters	Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars! There is but a single record of this fish being seen, view it.
Forum BBCode

	Look up E. electricus on Fishbase
	Look up E. electricus on Encyclopedia of Life
	Look up E. electricus on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator
Last Update	2020 Oct 27 08:14 (species record created: 2013 Sep 06 17:51)