Also: electric ray, Torpedo, electric catfish, Malapterurus, electrolocation, weakly electric fish, Gymnarchus, elephantnose fish
Besides electric eels, several fish make electricity. Electric rays and electric catfish stun prey with strong shocks, while weakly electric fish use faint electric fields to sense their surroundings in the dark.
Values as stated in the cited paper's abstract.
| Property | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Electric field sensitivity of Gymnarchus | ~0.03 µV/cm | Lissmann 1958 |
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From diving observations off Santa Barbara, Bray and Hixon found Pacific electric rays enter reefs at night and actively prey on fish using powerful electric discharges.
As reported in: Bray, Hixon (1978). Night-Shocker: Predatory Behavior of the Pacific Electric Ray ( Torpedo californica ). Science. doi:10.1126/science.200.4339.333
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Belbenoit and colleagues observed the electric discharges of the electric catfish Malapterurus electricus and found that at night long volleys were sometimes preceded by a low-frequency train of discharges.
As reported in: Belbenoit, Moller, Serrier et al. (1979). Ethological observations on the electric organ discharge behaviour of the electric catfish, Malapterurus electricus (Pisces). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. doi:10.1007/bf00303240
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Lissmann and Machin showed that the African knifefish Gymnarchus niloticus detects objects by the disturbance they cause in its own electric field, and is sensitive to a gradient of about 0.03 microvolts per cm.
As reported in: Lissmann, Machin (1958). The Mechanism of Object Location in Gymnarchus Niloticus and Similar Fish. Journal of Experimental Biology. doi:10.1242/jeb.35.2.451
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Von der Emde and colleagues showed electric fish can accurately measure the distance of most objects during electrolocation regardless of size, shape or material, suggesting a new way to perceive depth.
As reported in: von der Emde, Schwarz, Gomez et al. (1998). Electric fish measure distance in the dark. Nature. doi:10.1038/27655
Abstract only