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electric organ
Also known as: electric organ, electric organs
Facts (24)
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Comparable Ages for the Independent Origins of Electrogenesis in ... journals.plos.org 12 facts
claimAfrican Notopteridae and Siluriformes are passively electroreceptive, whereas Gymnotiformes and Mormyroidea independently evolved specialized electric organs for producing weak electric discharges and high-frequency tuberous electroreceptors tuned to those signals.
referenceF. Kirschbaum and H.O. Schwassmann reviewed the ontogeny and evolution of electric organs in gymnotiform fish in 2008.
referenceA.H. Bass reviewed the evolution of vertebrate communication and orientation organs in electric organs in 1986.
referenceM.V.L. Bennett provided an overview of electric organs in 1971.
referenceH.H. Zakon and G.A. Unguez reviewed the development and regeneration of the electric organ in 1999.
claimThe time intervals between the appearance of electroreception and the origin of electric organs represent the upper estimates for the time required for evolution to construct a weak, myogenic electric organ from a skeletal muscle precursor.
referenceCaputi AA, Carlson BA, and Macadar O (2005) published 'Electric organs and their control' in 'Electroreception', edited by Bullock TH, Hopkins CD, Popper AN, and Fay RR, New York: Springer Science+Business Media, Inc., pp. 410–451.
claimSelection pressures for weak electric organs likely arose only after the evolution of an electrosensory system, because electroreception is necessary to detect reafferent signals produced by electric organs.
referenceT.H. Szabo described the development of the electric organ in Mormyridae in 1960.
referenceSullivan JP, Lavoué S, and Hopkins CD (2000) developed a molecular systematics study of African electric fishes (Mormyroidea: Teleostei) and proposed a model for the evolution of their electric organs.
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.
Electroreception and electrogenesis - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org 7 facts
claimElectric organs have evolved at least eight separate times: twice in cartilaginous fishes (creating electric skates and rays) and six times in bony fishes.
claimThe electric organs of the electric eel (Gymnotidae) occupy a large portion of its body.
claimElephantfish locate prey by emitting short pulses from their electric organs and detecting signals modified by the electrical properties of surrounding objects; resistive objects increase pulse amplitude, while capacitative objects introduce distortions.
claimThe Gymnotiformes, including the glass knifefish (Sternopygidae) and the electric eel (Gymnotidae), emit a continuous wave that approximates a sine wave from their electric organs, which allows them to discriminate between capacitative and resistive objects.
claimElectric fish generate electric fields using an electric organ, which is a modified muscle located in the tail.
claimElectric organs in Gymnotiformes consist of a stack of electrocytes, each capable of generating a small voltage, which are added together in series to produce a powerful electric organ discharge.
claimThe electric eel locates prey by generating a weak electric field and then discharging its electric organs strongly to stun the prey, whereas the electric ray uses passive electrolocation.
[PDF] Electroreception science.umd.edu 2 facts
Bioelectricity | Cell Signaling, Nerve Impulses & Muscle Contractions britannica.com Mar 10, 2026 2 facts
claimElectric rays possess two large, disk-shaped electric organs, one on each side of the body, which contribute to the ray's disklike body shape.
measurementThe electric eel possesses three pairs of electric organs that comprise most of its body mass and approximately four-fifths of its total length.
Electroreception, electrogenesis and electric signal evolution - ADS ui.adsabs.harvard.edu 1 fact
measurementApproximately 1.5% of fish species possess electric organs.