電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)(man)雖(sui)名為(wei)“鰻(man)(man)”,但并不是(shi)鰻(man)(man)的(de)(de)一(yi)(yi)種(zhong),它在生物分類上和(he)鯰魚更為(wei)接近(jin),皆置于骨鰾(biao)總目之下。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)(man)的(de)(de)放(fang)(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)能力(li)(li)來自(zi)(zi)于它特化的(de)(de)肌肉(rou)組織所構成的(de)(de)放(fang)(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)體(ti)。肌肉(rou)組織幾乎都能放(fang)(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian),占其身長的(de)(de)80%以上,有數(shu)以千計的(de)(de)放(fang)(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)體(ti)。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)(man)的(de)(de)頭部是(shi)負極,尾部是(shi)正極,每(mei)個放(fang)(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)體(ti)約可制造0.15伏特的(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓,而當數(shu)千個放(fang)(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)體(ti)一(yi)(yi)起全力(li)(li)放(fang)(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)時的(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓便高(gao)達600~800伏特,但這種(zhong)高(gao)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓只能維持(chi)非常短暫的(de)(de)時間(jian),而且放(fang)(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)能力(li)(li)會隨著疲(pi)勞(lao)或(huo)衰老的(de)(de)程度(du)而減退。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)(man)能自(zi)(zi)由控制要放(fang)(fang)(fang)出什(shen)么(me)程度(du)的(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)力(li)(li),一(yi)(yi)般認為(wei)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)(man)放(fang)(fang)(fang)出低電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)力(li)(li)的(de)(de)目的(de)(de)是(shi)在警告、試探或(huo)偵測。
電(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻體內有一些細(xi)胞就(jiu)像(xiang)小(xiao)型的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)疊層(ceng)電(dian)(dian)(dian)池,當它被神經信號所激勵(li)時,能陡然使離(li)子(zi)流通過(guo)它的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)細(xi)胞膜。電(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻體內從頭(tou)到(dao)尾都(dou)有這(zhe)(zhe)樣(yang)(yang)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)細(xi)胞,就(jiu)像(xiang)許多疊在一起(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)疊層(ceng)電(dian)(dian)(dian)池。當產(chan)(chan)生(sheng)電(dian)(dian)(dian)流時,所有這(zhe)(zhe)些電(dian)(dian)(dian)池(每個電(dian)(dian)(dian)池電(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)(ya)約(yue)0.15伏)都(dou)串聯(lian)起(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)來,這(zhe)(zhe)樣(yang)(yang)在電(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)頭(tou)和尾之間就(jiu)產(chan)(chan)生(sheng)了很高的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)(ya)。許多這(zhe)(zhe)樣(yang)(yang)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)池組又(you)并聯(lian)起(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi)來,這(zhe)(zhe)樣(yang)(yang)就(jiu)能在體外產(chan)(chan)生(sheng)足夠大(da)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)流。用這(zhe)(zhe)些電(dian)(dian)(dian)流足以(yi)將它的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)獵物或天敵擊暈(yun)或擊斃。淡(dan)水里的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)魚需要更多的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)池串聯(lian)在一起(qi)(qi)(qi)(qi),因(yin)為淡(dan)水的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)阻較(jiao)大(da),產(chan)(chan)生(sheng)同樣(yang)(yang)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)流需要更高的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)的(de)(de)(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)(ya)。
電(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)能(neng)隨意放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian),自己掌握放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)時(shi)(shi)(shi)間(jian)和強(qiang)度,發電(dian)(dian)(dian)器最主要(yao)的(de)樞(shu)紐(niu)是器官的(de)神(shen)經(jing)部分(fen)。電(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)時(shi)(shi)(shi)的(de)平均電(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)(ya)為350多伏(fu)(fu),但(dan)也有過650伏(fu)(fu)的(de)放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)記錄。美洲電(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)的(de)最大電(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)(ya)竟達(da)(da)800多伏(fu)(fu),這么強(qiang)的(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)(ya)足(zu)以擊死一頭(tou)牛。電(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻(man)放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)時(shi)(shi)(shi)產(chan)生的(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)是極微弱的(de),一般不到1安(an)培;有時(shi)(shi)(shi)觀察(cha)到的(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)(ya)為500伏(fu)(fu),電(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)為2安(an)培,即功率為1000瓦的(de)短時(shi)(shi)(shi)放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)。雖然發出的(de)是直流(liu)電(dian)(dian)(dian),但(dan)放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)頻率每秒可達(da)(da)300個(ge)脈(mo)沖。
放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)的(de)損傷力(li)取決于鰻魚(yu)的(de)大小和機體的(de)狀況(kuang)。當(dang)(dang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻長不(bu)到1米時(shi),電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓隨著電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻的(de)成(cheng)長而(er)增(zeng)加。當(dang)(dang)長到1米后(hou),只增(zeng)加電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流的(de)強(qiang)度。電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻每秒鐘能放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)50次,但連續(xu)放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)后(hou),電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流逐漸減弱(ruo),10~15秒鐘后(hou)完全消失,休(xiu)息一會后(hou)又能重新恢復放(fang)(fang)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)能力(li)。在水(shui)中3~6米范圍內,常有人觸及電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)鰻放(fang)(fang)出的(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)而(er)被(bei)(bei)擊昏,甚至(zhi)因此跌入水(shui)中而(er)被(bei)(bei)淹死(si)。