Cells are like "series circuits"! It is the "electrical monster" in the Amazon water

Electric eels live mainly in turbid, circling waters in tropical and temperate regions. Although they have a pair of small eyes, they are rarely used because they live in dark waters and often hunt prey at night. Their small eyes cannot see at all and have degenerated. However, nature has given them the ability to discharge electricity. Adult electric eels can be 2.5 meters long and are the freshwater fish with the strongest discharge ability. The voltage released can reach up to 1,000 volts. They can find their way by emitting low-voltage electric clicks, which sound a bit like the squeaking sound of bats when they emit sonar.

The electric eel is able to generate electricity thanks to its special physiological structure. They have thousands of cells called electric plates, arranged in the form of battery packs, distributed in the muscle layer of the back half of the body. When the electric eel needs to discharge, these cells work like a series circuit, generating high-intensity currents instantly. Up to 80% of the electric eel's body is made up of electrocytes, which are similar to the body muscle cells of mammals in an extremely excited state, and can transmit nerve signals to stimulate muscle contraction.

The hunting strategy of electric eels is ingenious and efficient. They mainly feed on fish, crustaceans and other small aquatic creatures. The nocturnal electric eels use weak electromagnetic fields to sense the surrounding environment. Once they lock on to a target, they release high-voltage electric shocks, instantly paralyzing the prey and making it unable to escape. After that, the electric eels will easily devour the prey and swallow it whole. This method of hunting with electric current shows the wonderful results of biological evolution under natural selection.

In addition to hunting, electric eels also use electricity to communicate. Different current patterns can convey different information, such as courtship signals, territorial markings, or alarms. This current-based language increases the complexity of electric eel social behavior, making scientists very interested in studying their social life.

Although electric eels perform well in the wild, their survival in captivity is not optimistic. Electric eels have extremely high requirements for water quality, and because of their ability to discharge electricity, they are prone to stress and damage in captivity. In addition, illegal trade and habitat destruction also pose a threat to wild electric eel populations. Protecting electric eels and their habitats is essential to maintaining ecological balance and biodiversity.

Electric eels, the "electric monsters" of nature, not only embody the amazing diversity of life, but also reveal our infinite wisdom about survival and adaptation. Their lifestyle and unique skills inspire human curiosity about the unknown and urge us to continue exploring and advancing in the field of science. Let us cherish this natural heritage, create a safer future for the protection of electric eels and all marine life, and let this ancient electricity of life continue to illuminate the biological landscape of the earth.

References

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