"The discovery of new electric eel species in Amazonia is suggestive of the vast amount of species that remain to be discovered in nature," said Carlos David de Santana, associate researcher at Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Carolyn enjoys writing about chemistry, microbes and the environment. THANKS FOR WATCHING Please Like, Comments & Subscribe If there are any copyright issues with any videos posted here I will happy to remove them. Free educator resources are available for this article. The scientists used a computer to mathematically sort the animals. It produces two types of electrical discharge: low voltage and high voltage. The organs give the electric eel the ability to generate two types of electric organ discharges, low voltage and high voltage. But this is the first “discovery of a new species … after more than 250 years,” de Santana reports. This defense mechanism is … Here's a silly lyric I wrote about an electric eel: organ     (in biology) Various parts of an organism that perform one or more particular functions. These eels aren’t exactly new kids on the block. This has never been done before to identify a new species," principal investigator Naércio Menezes, professor and researcher at the University of São Paulo's Zoology Museum, said in a statement on Tuesday. “We haven’t even scratched the surface in terms of understanding how many organisms are out there,” Hopkins says. People who work in this field are geneticists. A person probably wouldn’t feel a difference between a shock of 500 volts and anything higher. Electric eels come by their name for good reason — depending on the species, they can release an electric shock of up to 860 volts. It can also refer to properties of materials that are due to their size and non-chemical interactions (such as when one block slams with force into another). The electric eel has three pairs of abdominal organs that produce electricity: the main organ, the Hunter's organ, and the Sach's organ. She has a Ph.D. in environmental engineering. The publication, as well as Science News magazine, are published by the Society for Science & the Public, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education. The electric eel is only one of about 500 species of fish capable of delivering an electric shock. Stoddard speaks from his own experience working with electric eels. All along the western front People line up to receive She got the power in her hands To shock you like you won't believe Saw her in the amazon With the voltage running through her skin Standing there with nothing on She's gonna teach me how to swim. Scientists measured a zap of 860 volts, making it the record holder among known species. There are 19 species of catfish, which are related to electric eels, capable of delivering an electric shock up to 350 volts. © Society for Science & the Public 2000–2020. Here are the two newly named eel species, alongside the long-known Electrophorus electricus. A few were specimens from museums. In the electric eel, some 5,000 to 6,000 stacked electroplaques are capable of producing a shock at up to 500 volts and 1 ampere of current (500 watts). Enter your e-mail address above. Electric eels live in a range of habitats in South America’s Amazon rainforest. 6.4K likes. The researchers say the newly discovered biodiversity of eels could help in other aspects of science including technology and medicine, but first we must focus on protecting the eels' habitats in the Amazon. She also loves playing with her cat. Electric eels (Electrophorus electricus) leap from the water to directly electrify threats. Inside the organ are many muscle-like cells, called electrocytes. The electric eel can generate deadly shocks up to 600 volts strong. Electric eels use strong zaps to defend themselves and take down prey. A zoologist, Stoddard works at Florida International University in Miami. For instance, an ovary is an organ that makes eggs, the brain is an organ that makes sense of nerve signals and a plant’s roots are organs that take in nutrients and moisture. “The electric eel, which can reach 2.5 metres in length, is the only fish that produces such a strong discharge; it uses three electric organs. (in math or for measurements). This explains why the eel's voltage is recorded at 151 volts to 572 volts, which is much lower than E. voltai, according to the study. After analyzing data on 107 specimens from the Amazon in Brazil, Suriname, French Guiana and Guyana, researchers from São Paulo Research Foundation and the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History concluded that naked-back knifefish should be reclassified into two new species of electric eel: E. varii and E. voltai. He notes that the differences between the species are somewhat subtle. This enables the electricity to travel through the fresh water, which is not the best conductor of electricity. Electric Eel Shock 2020 is our 26th BIRTHDAY!!! “It just hurts,” he says. "The region is of great interest to other scientific fields, such as medicine and biotechnology, reinforcing the need to protect and conserve it.". A neurobiologist, he studies animal brains and behavior. range     The full extent or distribution of something. That’s in Washington, D.C. De Santana and his colleagues described the new eels in Nature Communications on September 10. To find out just how much of a jolt electric eels pack, this biologist used his arm as a target. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by e-mail. and discovered something shocking -- it reached up to 860 volts, which is the highest voltage found in any animal. trait     A characteristic feature of something. Scientists thought all electric eels belonged to one species. Newly described species of electric eel serves up shocks of 860 volts That earns this fish, Electrophorus voltai , the title of the strongest known living source of electricity. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Electric eels have been shown to curl their bodies around larger or more elusive prey. Voltage of an Electric Eel The electric eel (Electrophorus electricus), which is found in South American tropical regions, has the ability to produce powerful electric charges. Here’s the second newfound eel species: E. varii. electric charge     The physical property responsible for electric force; it can be negative or positive. And, he says, “Now that this study’s been done, if people sample more widely, they may even find more [species].”. © 2020 CNET, A RED VENTURES COMPANY. shock     (in biology and medicine) A potentially fatal bodily reaction to a variety of conditions, including illness, injury, blood loss and lack of adequate water, usually characterized by marked loss of blood pressure, decreased blood circulation and inadequate blood flow to the tissues. It’s pretty cool, he says, to find these new species that can grow to more than 2.4 meters (8 feet). (v.) To attack and eat another species. genetic     Having to do with chromosomes, DNA and the genes contained within DNA. "We used voltage as the key differentiation criterion. But the genetic analysis suggested there actually were three. Post was not sent - check your e-mail addresses! So the scientists suspected that other eel species lurked in the region’s rivers. Journal:​ ​​C.D. It did this on the basis of genetic similarities, notes Phillip Stoddard. More closely related animals are like twigs on the same branch. The number of samples, the difficulty of the study and the variety of methods used all make this solid work, says Carl Hopkins. Whether the shock of an electric eel is fatal also may depend on the size of the eel, which, by the way, isn't actually an eel at all. We delete comments that violate our policy, which we encourage you to read. prey     (n.) Animal species eaten by others. That strategy has the effect of doubling the strength of the electric field between the electric eel’s positive pole (which is located near the head) and its negative pole (which is located near the tail). That’s way higher than the 650 volts recorded for eels — back when they were all called E. electricus. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion. He works at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. Says Hopkins of the new study, “If I had to grade it like a teacher would, I would say it’s an A++ … It’s great.”, This electrifying example highlights that there are still undiscovered creatures. behavior     The way something, often a person or other organism, acts towards others, or conducts itself. “The electric eel, which can reach 2.5 meters in length, is the only fish that produces such a strong discharge; it uses three electric organs. But “they get a bit more dramatic as you realize they’re pushing 1,000 volts,” says Stoddard. This pointed to there being two groups. subtle     Some feature that may be important but can be hard to see or describe. The high voltage strike of an electric eel has long been regarded as one of the most ... might keep careening through the water even after its muscles have been deactivated by the eel’s shocks. It’s rare to see just one fish species spread across such different habitats in this area, de Santana says. A previously undiscovered species of electric eel which delivers a shock with more than three times the voltage of a domestic plug socket has been discovered in the Amazon rainforest. For instance, a plant or animal’s range is the area over which it naturally exists. All rights reserved. Electric catfish live in Africa, mainly around the Nile River. Shark Vs electric eel please like and subscribe for more such videos To do this, they riled up each eel with a little prod to the snout. Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. This eel sorting let the researchers make a family tree of sorts. Then they recorded the voltage between its head and tail. I said, ooh girl Shock me like an electric eel Baby girl Turn me on with your electric feel I said, ooh girl Shock me like an electric eel … de Santana​ ​et​ ​al.​ Unexpected species diversity in electric eels with a description of the strongest living bioelectricity generator.​ ​​Nature Communications.​ ​​Vol.​ ​10,​ ​September 10, 2019. doi:​ ​10.1038/s41467-019-11690-z. Using a voltmeter, the researchers recorded a discharge from an E. voltai. The shock is used for defense and predation,” said Carlos David de Santana, an associate researcher at the US National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) and first author of the study. They found differences between some bones. colleague     Someone who works with another; a co-worker or team member. This newly discovered species of electric eel (Electrophorus voltai) can give quite a shock. eel     A fish with a snake-like body and no scales. habitat     The area or natural environment in which an animal or plant normally lives, such as a desert, coral reef or freshwater lake. That being said, you could probably kill an electric eel if you had a strong enough current. E. varii lives in the lowest part of the Amazon Basin in low-oxygenated waters that contain a high amount of dissolved salts that increase the conductivity of the water. physical     (adj.) These organs are made of electrocytes, lined up so a current of ions can flow through them and stacked so each one adds to a potential difference. New electric eel species zaps with highest voltage of any animal Duration: 01:05 9/10/2019 For more than 200 years, it was thought that there's only one species of electric eel. The electric eel, Electrophorus electricus, is a fish classified in the order Gymnotiformes and is a cousin to the carp and catfish. The Sachs organ is associated with electrolocation. 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David de Santana calls himself a “fish detective.” This zoologist works at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. L. … The current produced by electric eels is low compared to other electric animals, but the voltage, or pressure pushing that current, is high. Say hello to two new species of electric eel, including one that can discharge up to 860 volts, the strongest of any known animal, researchers say. The previous electric eel voltage record documented was 650 volts. If the eel lived in air, the current could be as high as one ampere, turning the creature's body into the equivalent of a 500-volt battery. It lives primarily in the lowland regions of the Amazon. voltage     A force associated with an electric current that is measured in units known as volts. http://www.electriceelshock.com The low intensity charges emitted by the eel range from 5 to 10 V. The higher intensity charges vary by the size of the eel. The voltage variation could have something to do with the eels' natural habitats. The eel was able to deliver up to 40 or 50 milliamps at its farthest out of the water, with the height on his arm above the surface acting like a switch that could raise or lower the power. Using a voltmeter, the researchers recorded a discharge from an E. voltai. Many migrate from freshwater to saltwater when it’s time to spawn. The Guardian reported the finding of two new electric eel species, one of them delivers shocks of 860 V.Shocking news: world's most powerful electric eel found in Amazon. Researchers have named a new species of eel that can produce an electric shock up to 860 volts. Most came from the wild. But a new study has found there are three. The scientists compared the eels’ physical traits and genetic differences. One of the newly found species has been named Electrophorus voltai. These organs make up four fifths of its body, and give the electric eel the ability to generate two types of electric organ discharges: low voltage and high voltage.