電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)雖名為(wei)“鰻(man)”,但并不是鰻(man)的(de)(de)(de)一種(zhong),它(ta)(ta)在生物分(fen)類上和鯰魚更為(wei)接(jie)近,皆置于(yu)(yu)骨鰾(biao)總目(mu)(mu)之(zhi)下。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)的(de)(de)(de)放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)能力來自于(yu)(yu)它(ta)(ta)特(te)化(hua)的(de)(de)(de)肌肉組織(zhi)所構成的(de)(de)(de)放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)體。肌肉組織(zhi)幾乎(hu)都(dou)能放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),占(zhan)其身長(chang)的(de)(de)(de)80%以(yi)上,有數(shu)(shu)以(yi)千計的(de)(de)(de)放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)體。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)的(de)(de)(de)頭部是負極(ji),尾部是正極(ji),每個(ge)放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)體約可制造0.15伏(fu)(fu)特(te)的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓,而當(dang)數(shu)(shu)千個(ge)放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)體一起全力放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)時(shi)的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓便高達(da)600~800伏(fu)(fu)特(te),但這種(zhong)高電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓只(zhi)能維持非(fei)常(chang)短暫的(de)(de)(de)時(shi)間(jian),而且放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)能力會隨著疲勞或衰老(lao)的(de)(de)(de)程(cheng)度而減(jian)退(tui)。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)能自由控制要(yao)放(fang)(fang)出什么程(cheng)度的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)力,一般認為(wei)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)放(fang)(fang)出低電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)力的(de)(de)(de)目(mu)(mu)的(de)(de)(de)是在警告、試探或偵測(ce)。
電(dian)(dian)鰻體內(nei)有(you)(you)一些(xie)細(xi)胞就(jiu)像小型的(de)(de)(de)疊(die)層(ceng)電(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi),當(dang)(dang)它被神經信號所激勵(li)時,能(neng)陡然(ran)使離子流(liu)(liu)通過它的(de)(de)(de)細(xi)胞膜(mo)。電(dian)(dian)鰻體內(nei)從頭到尾都有(you)(you)這(zhe)(zhe)(zhe)樣(yang)(yang)(yang)的(de)(de)(de)細(xi)胞,就(jiu)像許多疊(die)在(zai)一起的(de)(de)(de)疊(die)層(ceng)電(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)。當(dang)(dang)產生(sheng)(sheng)電(dian)(dian)流(liu)(liu)時,所有(you)(you)這(zhe)(zhe)(zhe)些(xie)電(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(每個電(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)電(dian)(dian)壓(ya)約0.15伏)都串聯(lian)起來,這(zhe)(zhe)(zhe)樣(yang)(yang)(yang)在(zai)電(dian)(dian)鰻的(de)(de)(de)頭和(he)尾之間就(jiu)產生(sheng)(sheng)了很高的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)壓(ya)。許多這(zhe)(zhe)(zhe)樣(yang)(yang)(yang)的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)組又并聯(lian)起來,這(zhe)(zhe)(zhe)樣(yang)(yang)(yang)就(jiu)能(neng)在(zai)體外產生(sheng)(sheng)足夠大的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)流(liu)(liu)。用(yong)這(zhe)(zhe)(zhe)些(xie)電(dian)(dian)流(liu)(liu)足以將它的(de)(de)(de)獵物或(huo)天(tian)敵擊暈(yun)或(huo)擊斃。淡(dan)(dan)水里的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)魚需(xu)要更多的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)串聯(lian)在(zai)一起,因為淡(dan)(dan)水的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)阻較(jiao)大,產生(sheng)(sheng)同樣(yang)(yang)(yang)的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)流(liu)(liu)需(xu)要更高的(de)(de)(de)的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)壓(ya)。
電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻能(neng)隨意放電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),自己掌(zhang)握放電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)時間(jian)和強度,發電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)器(qi)最主要(yao)的(de)(de)(de)樞紐是(shi)器(qi)官的(de)(de)(de)神經部分。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻放電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)時的(de)(de)(de)平均(jun)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)為(wei)(wei)350多伏,但(dan)也有(you)過(guo)650伏的(de)(de)(de)放電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)記(ji)錄。美洲電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻的(de)(de)(de)最大電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)竟達800多伏,這么強的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)足以擊死一(yi)頭牛。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻放電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)時產生(sheng)的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流是(shi)極微弱的(de)(de)(de),一(yi)般不到(dao)1安培;有(you)時觀(guan)察到(dao)的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)為(wei)(wei)500伏,電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流為(wei)(wei)2安培,即功率為(wei)(wei)1000瓦的(de)(de)(de)短時放電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)。雖然發出(chu)的(de)(de)(de)是(shi)直(zhi)流電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),但(dan)放電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)頻(pin)率每秒可達300個脈沖。
放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)的損傷力取(qu)決于鰻(man)魚(yu)的大小(xiao)和機體(ti)的狀況。當電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)長不(bu)到1米時(shi),電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓隨著電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)的成長而增(zeng)(zeng)加。當長到1米后,只(zhi)增(zeng)(zeng)加電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)的強度(du)。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)每(mei)秒(miao)鐘能放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)50次(ci),但連續(xu)放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)后,電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)逐漸減(jian)弱(ruo),10~15秒(miao)鐘后完全(quan)消失,休息(xi)一(yi)會后又能重(zhong)新恢復放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)能力。在水(shui)中(zhong)3~6米范圍內,常(chang)有人觸(chu)及電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)放(fang)出的電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)而被擊昏,甚至因(yin)此跌入(ru)水(shui)中(zhong)而被淹死。