Electric eels are badass . Not only can they produce an invalid 600 - volt zap – five times that of a U.S. bulwark socket – they can also remotely control their prey through urine . The predatory eels produce a variety of galvanic discharges that rove from abject - voltage one sent out as environmental sensors to high - potential drop work stoppage that appropriate them to highjack the nerves of their prey – immobilize the muscle and preventing safety valve . They can even send out shortsighted impulse that impel the prey to give up their localisation . Thefindingswere published inSciencethis hebdomad .
To understand the mechanism of the eel ’s disgraceful strike , Vanderbilt University ’s Kenneth Cataniaconducted a serial of experimentation in big aquarium outfit with various detectors . When placed in tank with delectable Pisces and worms , the ordered series - less AmazonianElectrophorus electricusreleases pulses of electricity that appear to sandbag the quarry and freeze them in topographic point . Using a high - pep pill video system , he remark that an eel begins an attack with a gamy - relative frequency volley of high - electric potential pulsation up to 15 milliseconds before hit . In just three millisecond , the fish are completely paralyzed . They find mobility after a short period , and they could float aside if the eel does n’t get to them first .
“ I have some friend in practice of law enforcement , so I was familiar with how a Taser works , ” Catania state in anews release . “ And I was struck by the law of similarity between the eel ’s volley and a Taser dismissal . A Taser delivers 19 eminent - voltage pulses per second while the electric eel bring on 400 pulses per bit . ” To the right hand is an eel in mid - fire on an immobilized fish .
The galvanizing discharge rush an immobilise whole - body muscle contraction by activate the motor neuron that control the prey fish ’s muscle – and not by control the muscle directly . Catania placed two Pisces behind a barrier : One was injected with saline resolution , the other was inject with a paralytical agentive role that place the nervous system . The muscles of the Pisces the Fishes with the saline answer contract involuntarily in reception to the eel ’s electrical discharges , but the Pisces sacrifice the paralytical drug showed no contractions .
Furthermore , if the prey is nearby but hiding in tilt or plants , the eel can emit periodic , millisecond beat of two or three discharges ( doublets or deuce-ace ) that cause massive muscle twitches . Once the speedy contractions reveal the prey ’s localisation , the eel throws down a full , tetanus - inducing volley .
“ unremarkably , you or I or any other animal ca n’t cause all of the muscles in our body to reduce at the same time,”Catania say . “ However , that is just what the eel can have with this signal . ”
These gamey - voltage arc allow the eels to remotely manipulate the prey ’s neural pathway by mimicking the normal electric pulsation that the Pisces the Fishes ’s own neurons air to cause its muscle effort . Check out some great footage here :
image : Kenneth Catania / Vanderbilt
