Electric eels curl up to deliver double strength shocks

Electric eels curl up to amplify their shocks when tackling large prey

The electric eel boasts what must surely be one of the most sophisticated and versatile weapon systems in the whole animal kingdom. This large Amazonian fish is well known for its ability to discharge pulses of electricity that are powerful enough to incapacitate a human, or even a horse. But its electric organ also acts as a tracking system, enabling the eel to locate fast-moving prey rapidly and precisely, and as a wireless Taser, with which it can stun prey and control their movements from a distance.

Research published today in the journal Current Biology reveals yet another of the electric organ's remarkable features. When struggling to capture large prey, the electric eel curls its long, flexible body to bring its tail round towards its head. This simple manoeuvre not only traps the prey, but also superimposes the electrical fields generated by the opposite ends of the eel's body, concentrating the fields and doubling their strength so that the eel can subdue its unruly victim.