電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)雖(sui)名為“鰻(man)”,但(dan)并(bing)不是鰻(man)的(de)(de)(de)一(yi)種,它(ta)在生物分類上和鯰(nian)魚(yu)更(geng)為接近,皆(jie)置于骨鰾(biao)總目(mu)之下。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)的(de)(de)(de)放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)能(neng)(neng)力(li)來自于它(ta)特(te)化的(de)(de)(de)肌(ji)肉組織所構成的(de)(de)(de)放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)體(ti)。肌(ji)肉組織幾乎都能(neng)(neng)放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),占其身長(chang)的(de)(de)(de)80%以上,有(you)數以千(qian)計的(de)(de)(de)放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)體(ti)。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)的(de)(de)(de)頭部(bu)是負極,尾部(bu)是正極,每個放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)體(ti)約可制(zhi)造0.15伏特(te)的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)(ya),而(er)當數千(qian)個放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)體(ti)一(yi)起全力(li)放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)時的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)(ya)便高達600~800伏特(te),但(dan)這種高電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)(ya)只能(neng)(neng)維持非常短暫的(de)(de)(de)時間,而(er)且放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)能(neng)(neng)力(li)會隨著疲勞或(huo)(huo)衰(shuai)老(lao)的(de)(de)(de)程(cheng)度(du)而(er)減退。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)能(neng)(neng)自由控(kong)制(zhi)要放(fang)(fang)出(chu)什么程(cheng)度(du)的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)力(li),一(yi)般認為電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)放(fang)(fang)出(chu)低(di)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)力(li)的(de)(de)(de)目(mu)的(de)(de)(de)是在警(jing)告、試探或(huo)(huo)偵(zhen)測(ce)。
電(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)(man)(man)體(ti)內有(you)一(yi)(yi)些(xie)(xie)細胞就像(xiang)(xiang)小(xiao)型(xing)的(de)(de)(de)疊層電(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi),當(dang)它(ta)被神經信號(hao)所激勵(li)時,能(neng)陡然使離子流(liu)通過(guo)它(ta)的(de)(de)(de)細胞膜(mo)。電(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)(man)(man)體(ti)內從頭(tou)到尾都有(you)這樣(yang)的(de)(de)(de)細胞,就像(xiang)(xiang)許多(duo)疊在(zai)一(yi)(yi)起的(de)(de)(de)疊層電(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)。當(dang)產生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)電(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)時,所有(you)這些(xie)(xie)電(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)(每個電(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)電(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)約0.15伏)都串聯(lian)起來(lai),這樣(yang)在(zai)電(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)(man)(man)的(de)(de)(de)頭(tou)和尾之間就產生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)了很高的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)。許多(duo)這樣(yang)的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)組又并聯(lian)起來(lai),這樣(yang)就能(neng)在(zai)體(ti)外產生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)足夠大(da)的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)。用這些(xie)(xie)電(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)足以將它(ta)的(de)(de)(de)獵物或天敵(di)擊暈或擊斃。淡水里的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)魚需要更多(duo)的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)池(chi)(chi)串聯(lian)在(zai)一(yi)(yi)起,因為淡水的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)阻較大(da),產生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)同樣(yang)的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)需要更高的(de)(de)(de)的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)。
電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)(man)能隨(sui)意放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),自己(ji)掌握放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)時(shi)間和強(qiang)度,發(fa)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)器最(zui)主要的(de)(de)樞紐是(shi)器官的(de)(de)神經部分。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)(man)放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)時(shi)的(de)(de)平均電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)為(wei)(wei)350多伏(fu),但也有(you)過650伏(fu)的(de)(de)放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)記錄。美洲電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)(man)的(de)(de)最(zui)大電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)竟(jing)達(da)800多伏(fu),這么強(qiang)的(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)足以擊死一頭(tou)牛。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)(man)放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)時(shi)產生的(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)(liu)是(shi)極微弱的(de)(de),一般不到(dao)1安培;有(you)時(shi)觀察(cha)到(dao)的(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)為(wei)(wei)500伏(fu),電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)(liu)為(wei)(wei)2安培,即功率為(wei)(wei)1000瓦(wa)的(de)(de)短(duan)時(shi)放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)。雖(sui)然(ran)發(fa)出的(de)(de)是(shi)直(zhi)流(liu)(liu)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),但放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)頻(pin)率每(mei)秒可達(da)300個脈沖。
放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)的損傷力取決于(yu)鰻魚(yu)的大小(xiao)和機體的狀況。當電(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻長不到1米時,電(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)隨著電(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻的成長而(er)增(zeng)加。當長到1米后,只增(zeng)加電(dian)(dian)(dian)流的強度。電(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻每秒鐘(zhong)能放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)50次,但連(lian)續放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)后,電(dian)(dian)(dian)流逐漸(jian)減弱,10~15秒鐘(zhong)后完全消失,休息一會(hui)后又能重新(xin)恢(hui)復放(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)能力。在水中3~6米范圍內,常(chang)有(you)人觸(chu)及(ji)電(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻放(fang)出(chu)的電(dian)(dian)(dian)而(er)被擊昏,甚至(zhi)因此(ci)跌入水中而(er)被淹死。