Electric Eel
Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family
| Genius and Species | Fun Facts | Art and Poetry
| Works Cited |
"Electrophorus electricus"
Kingdom: Animalia,
Phylum: Chordata,
Class: Actinopterygii,
Order: gymntiformes,
Family: Electrophoridce,
Genius and Species: electrophus, Electric eels are not really eels, they are actually ostariophysians, but have a strong physical resemblance to true eels. Body length can be as long as 2.5 m. They also have an extremely elongated anal fin, which is used as a means of locomotion. The vital organs to the fish are all in the anterior portion of the body and only take up about 20 percent of the fish. The posterior portion of the body contains the electrical organs. They do have gills, though it is not their primary source of oxygen intake. Electric eels are obligatory air breathers. They receive almost 80 percent of their oxygen through their highly vascularized mouth. A thick, slimy skin covers the entire body of E. electricus. The skin is used as a protective layer, often from their own electrical current that is produced. Electric eels range from gray to brownish/black in color with some yellowish coloration on the anterior ventral portion of the body.
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Works Cited : "Aniamal Diversity Web." 1995. University of Michigan. 11 Feb 2004. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/index.html>.
Fiore, Carrie. Personal interview. 2004.