Knowledge Tree
active electrolocation
Facts (12)
Sources
Electroreception and electrogenesis - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org 7 facts
claimActive electrolocation relies on tuberous electroreceptors that are sensitive to high-frequency stimuli ranging from 20 to 20,000 Hz.
claimIn active electrolocation, fish generate a weak electric field and sense distortions in that field caused by objects that conduct or resist electricity.
claimActive electrolocation is practiced by the order Gymnotiformes (knifefishes), the family Mormyridae (elephantfishes), and the monotypic genus Gymnarchus (African knifefish).
referenceJacob Engelmann, João Bacelo, Michael Metzen, Roland Pusch, Beatrice Bouton, Adriana Migliaro, Angel Caputi, Ruben Budelli, Kirsty Grant, and Gerhard von der Emde published 'Electric imaging through active electrolocation: implication for the analysis of complex scenes' in Biological Cybernetics in 2008.
claimActive electrolocation involves an animal generating weak electric fields through electrogenesis and detecting distortions in those fields using electroreceptor organs.
claimExperiments conducted by Lannoo and Lannoo in 1993 support H.W. Lissmann's proposal that swimming with a straight back is an effective strategy for the constraints of active electrolocation.
claimElectrolocation is categorized into passive electrolocation, which senses existing electric fields, and active electrolocation, which involves the animal generating its own electric field.
Comparable Ages for the Independent Origins of Electrogenesis in ... journals.plos.org 5 facts
claimGymnotiforms and mormyroids both possess high-frequency electroreceptors, which are derived from similar lateral line receptor precursors and underlie active electrolocation and electrocommunication.
claimH.W. Lissmann proposed that the convergence upon an anguilliform body form with ribbon fin propulsion, seen in all gymnotiforms and some mormyroids, may have evolved to minimize body axis bending during active electrolocation.
claimH.W. Lissmann reasoned that minimizing body axis bending would have been an advantage in the early evolution of active electrolocation because it would reduce amplitude modulations in local electric fields that might have confounded the detection of objects.
claimHeiligenberg suggested that the elongate body form of certain electric fish, with the electric organ located far from the head and trunk, is an adaptation for extending the effective distance of active electrolocation.
claimIn Gymnotiformes and Mormyroidea, electric organs and tuberous electroreceptors facilitate electrical communication and active electrolocation, where objects are located and sensed via distortions in self-generated electric fields.