Latest News

  • Home
  • Global
  • World's most powerful electric eel found in Amazon
World's most powerful electric eel found in Amazon
Tuesday, September 17, 2019 IST
World

Call it a shocking discovery: DNA research has revealed two entirely new species of electric eel in the Amazon basin, including one capable of delivering a record-breaking jolt.

 
 

The findings are evidence, researchers say, of the incredible diversity in the Amazon rainforest -- much of it still unknown to science -- and illustrate why it is so important to protect habitat at risk from deforestation, logging and fires.
 
"In spite of all human impact on the Amazon rainforest in the last 50 years, we can still discover giant fishes like the two new species of electric eels," said lead researcher C. David de Santana, a zoologist working with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
 
The research "indicates that an enormous amount of species are waiting to be discovered in the Amazon rainforest, many of which may harbour cures for diseases or inspire technological innovations," he told AFP.
 
The electric eel, in fact, a kind of fish rather than an eel, inspired the design of the first electric battery. For centuries, it was believed that a single species existed throughout the region known as Greater Amazonia, encompassing parts of countries including Brazil, Suriname and Guyana.
 
But as part of a project to better understand electric eels and map wildlife in remote parts of South America, de Santana and his team decided to test that conventional wisdom. At first glance, they found little visible difference between creatures collected from different parts of the Amazon basin, suggesting the fish were indeed part of a single species.
 
But further analysis, including of DNA from 107 samples they collected, upended centuries of assumptions and revealed three different species: the previously known Electrophorus electricus, along with Electrophorus voltai and Electrophorus varii.
 
And their research also uncovered another stunning result: E. voltai is capable of delivering a jolt of 860 volts -- much more than the 650 volts previously recorded from electric eels -- "making it the strongest bioelectricity generator known."
 
Hidden functions
 
The findings, published Tuesday in the Nature Communications journal, theorise that the three species evolved from a shared ancestor millions of years ago.
 
The researchers found each of the three species has a clearly defined habitat, with E. electricus living in the Guiana Shield region, E. voltai in the Brazilian Shield, a highland further south, and E. varii inhabiting slow-flowing lowland Amazon basin waters.
 
And they suggest that the particularly strong electric shock that E. voltai can produce could be an adaptation to life in highland waters, where conductivity is less effective. Electric eels use their shock tactics for a variety of reasons, including hunting prey, self-defence, and navigation.
 
They generate electricity from three specialised electric organs that can emit charges of varying strengths for different purposes. But the discovery of the new species raises the possibility that different types of eels may have evolved different ways of generating electricity, perhaps better suited to their diverse environments.
 
De Santana hopes to compare the genomes of the three species, searching for clues that could offer insights useful to a variety of fields.
 
"Electric eel physiology inspired the design of Volta's first electric battery, provided a basis... for treating neurodegenerative diseases and recently promoted the advance of hydrogel batteries that could be used to power medical implants," he said.
 
The newly discovered species may reveal a "hidden variety" of functions "of interest to the broader scientific community."

 
 
 
 
 

Related Topics

 
 
 

Trending News & Articles

 Article
'Worse than prison': A rare look inside China's detention camps to 'brainwash' Muslims

ALMATY: Hour upon hour, day upon day, Omir Bekali and other detainees in far western China's new indoctrination camps had to disavow the...

Recently posted . 199K views . 1 min read
 

 Article
What The Shape Of Your Belly Button Says About Your Health

If you have payed attention to the belly buttons of people on the beach or the members of your family, you have probably noticed that they have different shapes and...

Recently posted . 8K views . 2 min read
 

 Article
Top 10 Horrifying Acts of Chemical Warfare and Gas Attacks

In this age of terror, there might be nothing more terrifying than the thought of an attack carried out with chemical weapons. We’ve all heard the horrific ...

Recently posted . 3K views . 4 min read
 

 Article
Top 10 Best Gym Equipment Brands in India 2018

Body fitness is one thing that everyone wants to maintain irrespective of age. Going to the gym and doing some great exercise always helps to maintain your body fit...

Recently posted . 3K views . 2 min read
 

 
 

More in Global

 Article
Flying Fancies: Boeing Launches Longest Range Private Jet in The World

The BBJ 777-8 also features 3,256 square feet (302.5 sq m) of cabin space.

Recently posted. 549 views . 0 min read
 

 Article
Researchers Reveal What Biting Your Nails Says About Your Personality

There are many habits of human beings that are considered as bad, and they are some way or the other related to psychology. One of them is crunching nails. ...

Recently posted. 779 views . 1 min read
 

 Article
These 5 Signs Indicate That You Can Trust Someone Completely

Let go of your past and never allow it to stop you from living the beautiful life that’s ahead of you.   

Recently posted. 633 views . 1 min read
 

 Video
Things PARENTS must REMEMBER



Recently posted . 822 views
 

 Photo
World's 10 most expensive cities in 2018



Recently posted . 1K views
 

 Reviews
The Best 5 Hiking Backpacks in India – Reviews & Buying Guide



Recently posted . 1K views . 140 min read
 

 Reviews
The Best 5 Camping Tents in India 2018 – Reviews & Buying Guide



Recently posted . 1K views . 99 min read
 

 Article
21 Million Views For Garlic Peeling Hack That's Blowing People's Minds

"This just changed my life," wrote one person on the garlic peeling video.  

Recently posted. 510 views . 0 min read
 

 Article
Crypto industry on ‘brink of an implosion,’ researcher says

Echoing sentiments of mainstream economists, Juniper Research is warning that many of the metrics in the cryptocurrency world are pointing to a market implosion.

Recently posted. 606 views . 1 min read
 

 
 
 

   Prashnavali

  Thought of the Day

"Plant seeds of happiness, hope, success, and love; it will all come back to you in abundance. This is the law of nature."
Anonymous

Be the first one to comment on this story

Close
Post Comment
Shibu Chandran
2 hours ago

Serving political interests in another person's illness is the lowest form of human value. A 70+ y old lady has cancer.

November 28, 2016 05:00 IST
Shibu Chandran
2 hours ago

Serving political interests in another person's illness is the lowest form of human value. A 70+ y old lady has cancer.

November 28, 2016 05:00 IST
Shibu Chandran
2 hours ago

Serving political interests in another person's illness is the lowest form of human value. A 70+ y old lady has cancer.

November 28, 2016 05:00 IST
Shibu Chandran
2 hours ago

Serving political interests in another person's illness is the lowest form of human value. A 70+ y old lady has cancer.

November 28, 2016 05:00 IST


ads
Back To Top