The electric eel is the rainforest fish famous for producing electricity, although it is actually an eel-like knifefish rather than a true eel. It inhabits freshwater systems in northern South America, including the Amazon and Orinoco basins.
Electric eels generate electricity with specialized electrocytes arranged in electric organs. The high-voltage discharge can stun prey and deter predators, while weaker electrical signals help the animal sense its surroundings in murky water. Different species can produce different maximum voltages; Electrophorus voltai has been measured at up to 860 volts.
Electric eels breathe air through their mouths and must regularly reach the surface. They eat fish, amphibians, birds, mammals, and invertebrates, depending on their size and opportunity.
The name is therefore misleading in two ways: electric eels are not true eels, and electricity is not limited to one species. The genus Electrophorus currently includes three recognized species, including the electric eel, E. electricus.