Electric catfish
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Electric catfish (family Malapteruridae) is the common name of several species of freshwater catfish with the ability to produce an electric shock of up to 350 volts using electroplaques of an electric organ. Electric catfish are found in several parts of Africa. Electric catfish are usually nocturnal and feed primarily on other fish, incapacitating their prey with electric discharges. They can grow as large as 90 cm (3 feet) long and over 18 kg (40 pounds) in weight. Electric catfish do not have dorsal fins or fin spines. Electric catfish were known as far back as the ancient Egyptians. There are two genera and over 12 species known, most of which are dwarf species less than 30 cm (12 inches) long.
[edit] History
The electric catfishes are found from the Nile to the Zambezi and from the Senegal to the Congo. The Nile fish was well known to the ancient Egyptians, who depicted it in their mural paintings and elsewhere, and an account of its electric properties was given by an Arab physician of the 12th century; then as now the fish was known by the suggestive name of Raad or Raash, which means "thunder" (literally "trembler, shaker").
[edit] See also
[edit] References
This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
- Animal Diversity Web
- Integrated Taxonomic Information System report
- Malapteruridae (TSN 164140). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 22 Mar 2007.
- "Malapteruridae". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. Mar 2007 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2007.
