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Post by Revenge on Dec 18, 2009 19:41:53 GMT -5
Eels
Eel Basics: Eels can be found in freshwater as well as salt water. They are snakelike with long bodies. Unlike land snakes, eels are usually scaleless, although a few species can be found with tiny scales along their bodies. Over 100 vertebrae form the eel's spine, which makes the animal very flexible.
Dying to Breed: Some species of eels travel up to 4,000 miles to breed, a journey which can take up to seven months. During that time it is believed that eels do not eat. Instead, they use their body fat and muscle tissue for nutrients. Adults die after breeding. Their larvae begin their own journey by floating on ocean currents. It takes three years for the young eels to grow to maturity.
DID YOU KNOW?
Toxic Blood: Eel, a delicacy in many cultures, must be cooked thoroughly because its blood is toxic.
Enormous Eels: Most moray eels average 5 feet in length. The largest species, the slender giant moray eel, can grow to 13 feet in length.
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Post by Revenge on Dec 18, 2009 19:49:09 GMT -5
The Electric Eel
Electric Eel Profile
Despite their serpentine appearance, electric eels are not actually eels. Their scientific classification is closer to carp and catfish.
These famous freshwater predators get their name from the enormous electrical charge they can generate to stun prey and dissuade predators. Their bodies contain electric organs with about 6,000 specialized cells called electrocytes that store power like tiny batteries. When threatened or attacking prey, these cells will discharge simultaneously, emitting a burst of at least 600 volts, five times the power of a standard U.S. wall socket.
They live in the murky streams and ponds of the Amazon and Orinoco basins of South America, feeding mainly on fish, but also amphibians and even birds and small mammals. As air-breathers, they must come to the surface frequently. They also have poor eyesight, but can emit a low-level charge, less than 10 volts, which they use like radar to navigate and locate prey.
Electric eels can reach huge proportions, exceeding 8 feet (2.5 meters) in length and 44 pounds (20 kilograms) in weight. They have long, cylindrical bodies and flattened heads and are generally dark green or grayish on top with yellowish coloring underneath.
Human deaths from electric eels are extremely rare. However, multiple shocks can cause respiratory or heart failure, and people have been known to drown in shallow water after a stunning jolt.
Electric eels are extremely common throughout their range.
Range (In the yellow)
Fast Facts
Type: Fish
Diet: Carnivore
Average lifespan in the wild: 15 years
Size: 6 to 8 ft (1.8 to 2.5 m)
Weight: 44 lbs (20 kg)
Group name: Swarm
Did you know? The shock of an electric eel has been known to knock a horse off its feet.
Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man
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Post by Revenge on Dec 18, 2009 19:49:56 GMT -5
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