In the depths of the seas and oceans there are a large number of amazing creatures, including stingray and eel. However, most people cannot even imagine how a living organism is able to fulfill the role of a powerful battery.
Who produces electricity?
Just as an interesting fact, it is worth noting that all fish produce electricity, just 99% of the species generate very weak charges, not noticeable during interaction. Sea creatures are capable of generating electricity thanks to the special arrangement of the muscles that produce and store electricity.
Some species in the process of evolution have learned to accumulate large charges and hit them with the enemy. The most successful in this occupation were stingrays, eels, stargazers, gymnasiums, as well as a separate species of catfish.
How do fish generate electricity?
All kinds of electric sea creatures generate electricity while moving. Due to the fact that muscles constantly change their shape and interact with the environment, they accumulate electricity. At the same time, the head and tail act as pluses and minuses respectively. This helps to keep the charge in the muscles, as if in a battery.
We will analyze in more detail what muscles are for the accumulation of charges. They may differ in appearance in each species of fish, but have a similar structure. Muscles consist of columns, which, in turn, are divided into plates.To accumulate electricity, the columns are connected in parallel, and the plates in series. There is a potential difference between them, which is why energy is accumulated during movement and charge is accumulated.
How do fish shock?
Electric shock is carried out using pulses. Fish purposefully hits them with a prey. Some species intentionally emit about 500 impulses to the victim to completely hit the enemy. Accordingly, the strikes are conscious and directional, you can not get a charge, just touching the fish.
In most cases, fish use their “weapon” only in direct contact with the prey. In certain situations, they can blow current at short distances to drive off a larger predator.
In the aforementioned fish, the potential difference developed at the ends of electric organs can reach 1200 volts (electric eel), and the discharge power per pulse is from 1 to 6 kilowatts (electric ramp Torpedo nobiliana).
Are electric fish dangerous to humans?
Even a weak charge with such parameters can seriously damage human health, especially at a depth. There have been cases when fish thrown ashore literally knocked people to the ground on contact, which urgently required medical attention.
Electric eel
Electric eels live in South America, in rivers, and prey on small fish. Adult individuals grow in length from 1 to 3 meters, but even they often become victims of local predators.Because of this, eels are forced to use electricity not only for hunting, but also for defense.
Muscles for energy storage, also often called “electric organs”, are located along the spine and make up about 80% of the total mass of eel. The charge gradually accumulates in special bubble folds, after which at the right time it spreads in space, hitting all life in a radius. In this way, the fish paralyzes the victim, after which it can be taken for eating.
For a current to strike a creature, it must be as close as possible. But there were situations when fishermen caught eel on a hook and received a discharge without contact with it: the current passed up the fishing line and hit right away as soon as a person touched it.
Electric Stingray
This type of creature is famous not only for its ability to generate electricity, but also for its flattened shape, resembling a small towel. They live mainly at the bottom of the oceans and reach 180cm in length.
Stingrays accumulate electrical energy throughout the body due to muscle contraction. Even young individuals are able to beat with a voltage of 8V. This helps to hunt and immobilize small fish.
The properties of stingrays were known in ancient Egypt. Local doctors used light electric shocks for young individuals for medical purposes. It was believed that small discharges help a person get rid of diseases.
All fish are capable of generating electricity, but only stingrays, eels and several other species can accumulate it in large quantities.This is possible due to the specific structure of the muscles, which can accumulate current during movement.
