We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Aquatic

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is Electroception?

Michael Anissimov
By
Updated: Jun 04, 2024
Views: 5,841
Share

Electroception is the biological ability either to create or to detect electric charges. It is found most frequently in ocean animals because of the superior ability of water to conduct electricity. Examples of animals with electroception include sharks, rays, eels, and weakly-electric fish. Monotremes, including echidnas and platypi, are the only mammals that have the ability.

Electroception is used to increase the animal's awareness of its surrounding environment and sometimes to detect prey. In electric eels, it is even used as a high-voltage weapon. Lightning bugs, despite their name, do not possess electroception.

The animal that uses electricity most intimately is probably the electric eel (Electrophorus electricus). This Amazonian freshwater predator is not actually an eel, but a knifefish, or gymnotiform. Gymnotiformes are a lineage of fish that have evolved to exploit bioelectricity and electroception. Besides the electric eel, they include the black ghost (Apteronotus albifrons), the glass knifefish (Eigenmannia virescens), and the tiger knifefish (Gymnotus carapo).

Gymnotiformes generate an electric field of about 1 volt on a 24 hour basis. Electric eels, the most powerful gymnotiformes, have electroception fields of about 10 volts. The effect continues strong throughout sleep. For peak hunting or self-defense bursts, the voltage of the field can reach as high as 600 V. This easily kills small fish in the surrounding area.

Electric eels are quite large, growing as long as 2.5 m (8 ft) and weighing 25 kg (55 lbs). They use their Sachs organ, a stack of electroplaques, to generate a charge. The electroplaques are disc-like cells stacked on top of each other to produce an additive charge.

ATP-powered transport proteins pump positive sodium and potassium ions out of the cell, creating a negative charge, which corresponds to electrification. A nucleus of neurons in the fish's brain called the pacemaker nucleus fires when prey or a threat is sighted, releasing acetylcholine which stimulates the cells to "fire". The basic principle of activation is the same as that of muscle cells.

Any fish or shark that lives in muddle water has something to gain from an extra sense. As a result, many fish are weakly electroceptive. It has been shown that sharks can be stimulated to attack by mere manipulation of the electric field of the water, and the presence of visible prey or blood is not required.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Michael Anissimov
By Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov is a dedicated WiseGeek contributor and brings his expertise in paleontology, physics, biology, astronomy, chemistry, and futurism to his articles. An avid blogger, Michael is deeply passionate about stem cell research, regenerative medicine, and life extension therapies. His professional experience includes work with the Methuselah Foundation, Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, and Lifeboat Foundation, further showcasing his commitment to scientific advancement.

Editors' Picks

Related Articles

Discussion Comments
Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov is a dedicated WiseGeek contributor and brings his expertise in paleontology, physics, biology,...
Learn more
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-electroception.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.