The third form electric organ discharge of electric eels
Abstract The electric eel is a unique species that has evolved three electric organs. Since the 1950s, electric eels have generally been assumed to use these three organs to generate two forms of electric organ discharge (EOD): high-voltage EOD for predation and defense and low-voltage EOD for elect...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-85715-3 |
| _version_ | 1818430905439485952 |
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| author | Jun Xu Xiang Cui Huiyuan Zhang |
| author_facet | Jun Xu Xiang Cui Huiyuan Zhang |
| author_sort | Jun Xu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The electric eel is a unique species that has evolved three electric organs. Since the 1950s, electric eels have generally been assumed to use these three organs to generate two forms of electric organ discharge (EOD): high-voltage EOD for predation and defense and low-voltage EOD for electrolocation and communication. However, why electric eels evolved three electric organs to generate two forms of EOD and how these three organs work together to generate these two forms of EOD have not been clear until now. Here, we present the third form of independent EOD of electric eels: middle-voltage EOD. We suggest that every form of EOD is generated by one electric organ independently and reveal the typical discharge order of the three electric organs. We also discuss hybrid EODs, which are combinations of these three independent EODs. This new finding indicates that the electric eel discharge behavior and physiology and the evolutionary purpose of the three electric organs are more complex than previously assumed. The purpose of the middle-voltage EOD still requires clarification. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T15:40:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ef69705869e7464da8fa001447ce3d6b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T15:40:50Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-ef69705869e7464da8fa001447ce3d6b2022-12-21T22:55:38ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222021-03-011111810.1038/s41598-021-85715-3The third form electric organ discharge of electric eelsJun Xu0Xiang Cui1Huiyuan Zhang2School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, North China Electric Power UniversitySchool of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, North China Electric Power UniversitySchool of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, North China Electric Power UniversityAbstract The electric eel is a unique species that has evolved three electric organs. Since the 1950s, electric eels have generally been assumed to use these three organs to generate two forms of electric organ discharge (EOD): high-voltage EOD for predation and defense and low-voltage EOD for electrolocation and communication. However, why electric eels evolved three electric organs to generate two forms of EOD and how these three organs work together to generate these two forms of EOD have not been clear until now. Here, we present the third form of independent EOD of electric eels: middle-voltage EOD. We suggest that every form of EOD is generated by one electric organ independently and reveal the typical discharge order of the three electric organs. We also discuss hybrid EODs, which are combinations of these three independent EODs. This new finding indicates that the electric eel discharge behavior and physiology and the evolutionary purpose of the three electric organs are more complex than previously assumed. The purpose of the middle-voltage EOD still requires clarification.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-85715-3 |
| spellingShingle | Jun Xu Xiang Cui Huiyuan Zhang The third form electric organ discharge of electric eels Scientific Reports |
| title | The third form electric organ discharge of electric eels |
| title_full | The third form electric organ discharge of electric eels |
| title_fullStr | The third form electric organ discharge of electric eels |
| title_full_unstemmed | The third form electric organ discharge of electric eels |
| title_short | The third form electric organ discharge of electric eels |
| title_sort | third form electric organ discharge of electric eels |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-85715-3 |
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