Electrical discharges in nature occur not only during a thunderstorm, 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 fish. Their gift to develop strong power discharges is not available to any animal species.
Why do fish need electricity
The fact that some fish can severely “beat” the person or animal that affected them was known even by the ancient inhabitants of the sea coasts. The Romans believed that at that moment some strong poison was released among the inhabitants of the depths, as a result of which the victim suffered temporary paralysis. And only with the development of science and technology, it became clear that it is common for fish to create electrical discharges of different strengths.
Which fish is electric? Scientists claim that these abilities are characteristic of almost all representatives of the named species of fauna, just that most of them have small discharges, sensible only by powerful sensitive devices. They use them to transmit signals to each other - as a means of communication. The strength of the emitted signals allows you to determine in the fish medium who is who, or, in other words, to find out the strength of your opponent.
Electric fish use their special organs to protect themselves from enemies, as weapons to defeat prey, and also as landmarks.
Where is the fish power station?
Electrical phenomena in the fish organism have interested scientists involved in natural energy phenomena. The first experiments on the study of biological electricity were carried out by Faraday. For his experiments, he used stingrays as the most powerful charge producers.
One thing that all researchers agreed on is that the main role in electrogenesis belongs to cell membranes, which are able to decompose positive and negative ions in cells, depending on excitation. The modified muscles of the fish, which are connected together in series, these are the so-called power plants, and the connective tissues are the conductors.
“Energy producing” bodies can have a wide variety of types and locations. So, in stingrays and eels, these are kidney-shaped formations on the sides, in elephant fishes - cylindrical threads in the tail region.
As already mentioned, many representatives of this class produce a current on one scale or another, but there are real electric fish that are dangerous not only for other animals, but also for humans.
Electric snake fish
South American electric eel has nothing to do with common eels. It is named so simply by outward resemblance. This long, up to 3 meters, snake-shaped fish weighing up to 40 kg is capable of generating a discharge with a voltage of 600 volts! Close communication with such a small fish can cost lives. Even if the strength of the current does not become the direct cause of death, it leads to loss of consciousness for sure. A helpless person can drown and drown.
Electric eels live in the Amazon, in many shallow rivers. The local population, knowing their abilities, does not enter the water. The electric field produced by the snake fish diverges within a radius of 3 meters. At the same time, eel is aggressive and can attack without any special need. He probably does this with a fright, since the main diet is small fish. In this regard, the living "electric fishing rod" does not know any problems: I released the charger, and breakfast is ready, lunch and dinner at the same time.
Stingray family
Electric fish - stingrays - are combined into three families and comprise about forty species. They tend not only to generate electricity, but also to accumulate it in order to use it in the future for its intended purpose.
The main purpose of the shots is to scare away enemies and catch small fish for food. If the ramp releases all of its accumulated charge at a time, its power is enough to kill or immobilize a large animal. But this happens extremely rarely, since the fish - the electric ramp - after complete "blackout" becomes weak and vulnerable, it takes time to again accumulate power. So the ramps strictly control their energy supply system using one of the departments of the brain that acts as a relay switch.
The family of gnusovye, or electric stingrays, is also called "torpedoes." The largest of them is the inhabitant of the Atlantic Ocean, a black torpedo (Torpedo nobiliana). This type of slope, which reaches a length of 180 cm, produces the strongest current. And with close contact with him, a person may lose consciousness.
Scat Moresby and Tokyo torpedo (Torpedo tokionis ) are the deepest members of their family. They can be found at a depth of 1,000 m. And the smallest among their brethren is the Indian slope, its maximum length is only 13 cm. A blind slope lives off the coast of New Zealand - its eyes are completely hidden under a layer of skin.
Electric catfish
In the muddy ponds of tropical and subtropical Africa live electric fish - catfish. These are quite large individuals, from 1 to 3 m in length. Catfish do not like fast currents, live in cozy nests at the bottom of ponds. The electrical organs located on the sides of the fish are capable of producing a voltage of 350 V.
A sedentary and apathetic catfish does not like to swim 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 he also obtains their prey. The discharges help the catfish not only hunt, but also navigate in the dark muddy water. Electric catfish meat is considered a delicacy among the local African population.
Nile Whelpling
Another African electric representative of the kingdom of fish is the Nile Gymnarch, or Aba Aba. He was depicted on his murals by the pharaohs. It lives not only in the Nile, but in the waters of the Congo, Niger and some lakes. This is a beautiful "stylish" fish with a long elegant body, length from forty centimeters to one and a half meters. The lower fins are absent, but one upper extends along the entire body. Under it is the “battery”, which produces electromagnetic waves with a power of 25 V almost constantly. The head of the gymnast carries a positive charge, and the tail carries a negative charge.
The gymnasiums use their electrical abilities not only for food and location, but also in mating games. By the way, the male gymnasts are simply stunningly fanatical fathers. They do not leave eggs laying. And as soon as someone comes closer to the children, dad will soak the offender with a stun gun that he won’t seem enough.
Gymnarchs are very cute - their elongated, like a dragon, muzzle and sly eyes won love among aquarists. True, the handsome is pretty aggressive. Of the several fry settled in the aquarium, only one will survive.
Sea cow
Large bulging eyes, an ever-open mouth framed by a fringe, an extended jaw make the fish look like an ever-dissatisfied, grumpy old woman. What is the name of an electric fish with such a portrait? Starfish family cow . Comparison with a cow is inspired by two horns on the head.
This unpleasant specimen spends most of its time buried in sand and lies in wait for 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 stargazer lures naive fish and catches them, without even getting out of the shelter. But if necessary, it will fly up instantly and stun the victim until unconscious. The second weapon for their own protection is poisonous spikes located behind the eyes and above the fins. And that's 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. The names not listed by us are: gnatonem Peters, black knifefish, Mormyrs, diplobatis. As you can see, there are a lot of them. Science has made a big step forward in studying this strange ability of some fish, but to this day it has not been possible to completely solve the mechanism of accumulation of high-power electricity.
Do you treat fish?
Official medicine has not confirmed that the electromagnetic field of fish has a healing effect. But folk medicine has long used electric rays of the rays to cure many diseases of a rheumatic nature. To do this, people specifically walk close and receive weak discharges. Here's a natural electrophoresis.
The inhabitants of Africa and Egypt use electric catfish to treat a severe stage of fever. To increase immunity in children and strengthen their general condition, the equatorial inhabitants make them touch catfish, and also drink water in which this fish swam for a while.