電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)雖(sui)名(ming)為(wei)“鰻(man)”,但并不是(shi)鰻(man)的(de)(de)(de)(de)一(yi)種,它在生物(wu)分類上和(he)鯰魚(yu)更為(wei)接近(jin),皆置于骨鰾總目之下。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)的(de)(de)(de)(de)放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)能(neng)力(li)來自于它特化的(de)(de)(de)(de)肌(ji)肉(rou)組織所構(gou)成(cheng)的(de)(de)(de)(de)放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)體。肌(ji)肉(rou)組織幾乎都能(neng)放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),占其身長的(de)(de)(de)(de)80%以上,有數(shu)以千計的(de)(de)(de)(de)放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)體。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)的(de)(de)(de)(de)頭部是(shi)負(fu)極,尾部是(shi)正極,每個放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)體約可制造0.15伏(fu)特的(de)(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)(ya),而(er)當(dang)數(shu)千個放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)體一(yi)起全(quan)力(li)放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)時(shi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)(ya)便高達(da)600~800伏(fu)特,但這種高電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)(ya)只能(neng)維持非常(chang)短暫的(de)(de)(de)(de)時(shi)間,而(er)且放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)能(neng)力(li)會隨著疲勞或衰老的(de)(de)(de)(de)程(cheng)度而(er)減(jian)退。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)能(neng)自由控制要放(fang)出什么(me)程(cheng)度的(de)(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)力(li),一(yi)般認為(wei)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)放(fang)出低電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)力(li)的(de)(de)(de)(de)目的(de)(de)(de)(de)是(shi)在警告、試探或偵測。
電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)體(ti)內有(you)一(yi)些(xie)細(xi)胞(bao)就(jiu)像小型的(de)(de)疊層電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi),當(dang)它(ta)被神經信號所(suo)激勵(li)時,能陡然使離子流(liu)(liu)通過它(ta)的(de)(de)細(xi)胞(bao)膜。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)體(ti)內從頭到尾都有(you)這(zhe)樣(yang)(yang)的(de)(de)細(xi)胞(bao),就(jiu)像許多(duo)疊在一(yi)起(qi)的(de)(de)疊層電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)。當(dang)產生電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)(liu)時,所(suo)有(you)這(zhe)些(xie)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(每(mei)個電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓約(yue)0.15伏)都串聯起(qi)來,這(zhe)樣(yang)(yang)在電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)的(de)(de)頭和尾之間就(jiu)產生了很高(gao)的(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓。許多(duo)這(zhe)樣(yang)(yang)的(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)組(zu)又并聯起(qi)來,這(zhe)樣(yang)(yang)就(jiu)能在體(ti)外產生足(zu)夠大(da)的(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)(liu)。用這(zhe)些(xie)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)(liu)足(zu)以將它(ta)的(de)(de)獵(lie)物(wu)或(huo)天敵擊暈或(huo)擊斃。淡(dan)水(shui)里的(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)魚需(xu)要更多(duo)的(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)串聯在一(yi)起(qi),因(yin)為淡(dan)水(shui)的(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)阻較大(da),產生同(tong)樣(yang)(yang)的(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)(liu)需(xu)要更高(gao)的(de)(de)的(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓。
電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)能(neng)隨意放(fang)(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),自己掌握(wo)放(fang)(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)時間和強度,發電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)器(qi)最(zui)主(zhu)要的(de)(de)(de)樞紐(niu)是(shi)器(qi)官的(de)(de)(de)神經部分。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)放(fang)(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)時的(de)(de)(de)平均(jun)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓為350多伏(fu)(fu),但也有(you)過650伏(fu)(fu)的(de)(de)(de)放(fang)(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)記錄(lu)。美洲電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)的(de)(de)(de)最(zui)大電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓竟達800多伏(fu)(fu),這么強的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓足以(yi)擊死一(yi)(yi)頭牛。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)放(fang)(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)時產生的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流是(shi)極微弱的(de)(de)(de),一(yi)(yi)般不(bu)到1安(an)(an)培(pei);有(you)時觀察(cha)到的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓為500伏(fu)(fu),電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流為2安(an)(an)培(pei),即功率(lv)(lv)為1000瓦的(de)(de)(de)短時放(fang)(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)。雖(sui)然(ran)發出(chu)的(de)(de)(de)是(shi)直流電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),但放(fang)(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)頻率(lv)(lv)每秒可達300個脈(mo)沖(chong)。
放電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)的(de)損傷力(li)(li)取決于鰻(man)魚的(de)大(da)小和機(ji)體的(de)狀況(kuang)。當(dang)(dang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)長(chang)不(bu)到1米時,電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓隨(sui)著(zhu)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)的(de)成長(chang)而增加(jia)。當(dang)(dang)長(chang)到1米后(hou),只增加(jia)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)的(de)強(qiang)度。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)每秒(miao)鐘能(neng)放電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)50次,但連續放電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)后(hou),電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)逐漸減(jian)弱,10~15秒(miao)鐘后(hou)完全消失,休(xiu)息一會后(hou)又能(neng)重(zhong)新恢(hui)復放電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)能(neng)力(li)(li)。在水(shui)中(zhong)3~6米范圍內,常(chang)有人觸及電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)放出的(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)而被(bei)擊(ji)昏(hun),甚至因此跌(die)入水(shui)中(zhong)而被(bei)淹(yan)死。