are cells that constitute the organ of electric fish that produces an electric field
Electro-reception by animals A. how & why it works 1. all organisms (plants, animals, etc.) produce electric fields 2. detection of fields favored in environments without other stimuli 3. Deep-sea and tropical river environments a. DARK (deep, or turbid): no light detection -- chemical & other senses take over b. Most electrogenic fish are also electroreceptive. Electric fish species can be found both in the ocean and in freshwater rivers of South America (Gymnotiformes) and Africa (Mormyridae). These cells are very similar to muscle fiber cells in that they can produce electric signals. Unlike muscle fiber cells, they cannot contract. These cells contain a high concentration of Potassium ions, a low concentration of sodium ions, and a comparable amount of negatively charged ions. To listen in on the fish, simply put one wire from the earphone into the water at one side of the fishtank, and the other wire into the water at the other side of the fishtank, and put the earphone up to your ear. If you click here you can hear what it sounds like. 1 Strongly electric marine fish deliver low voltage, high current electric discharges. 2  In salt water, a small voltage can drive a large current limited by the internal resistance of the electric organ. 3  Hence, the electric organ consists of many electrocytes in parallel. Electric fish produce their electrical fields from a specialized structure called an electric organ. This is made up of modified muscle or nerve cells, which became specialized for producing bioelectric fields stronger than those that normal nerves or muscles produce. Typically this organ is located in the tail of the electric fish. The electrical output of the organ is called the electric organ discharge (EOD). In the same family of fish (called mormyriform fish) as the elephant nose are several other species, such as Pollimyrus isidori, Gymnarchus niloticus, and Brienomyrus brachyistius. Another family of weakly electric fish are the South American gymnotoid fish, such as Hypopomus artedi, Sternopygus, and Eigenmannia. Below is a model of the electric field created by the Eel during cell activation. The poles are separated by 2 m and have a charge of 33nC and -33nC. First, here are the equations I used to construct this graph: The Electric eel discharges the current in 2 ms, that’s 2 thousandths of a second! [Click on photo for larger picture]. This is the organ that generates the signal. It is a modified muscle. To receive electric signals, either from other fish or from echoes of its own discharge, the Elephant Nose fish has three different types of receptors. These are the mormyromasts, the knollenorgans, and the ampullary receptors. The mormyromasts are the organs that detect the echoes of the electric organ discharge. They are what enable the fish to navigate in murky water and find prey. The knollenorgans detect the electric organ discharge of other elephant nose fish, and thus aid in communication and finding mates. I would like to model the electric field produced by the eel as a function of time. There’s a serious lack of information on how the eel physically generates this field. The fact that the eel produces a linear current does not explain how the eel generates an electric field surrounding it. I am going to make some massive assumptions and do my best to come up with a physical explanation for the field. When the eel activates the electrocytes, current flows from the tail to the head.
Yes