Eel was discovered with a strong discharge of 850 volts

With 850 volts in an electric charge, the newly discovered eel at Amazon can make its prey die without understanding what is happening. This new finding will be of great help in medical research and electrification.

Some animals such as eels, rays, elephant noses . have long been known for their ability to discharge bioelectric, creating electrical impulses that push through water to shock prey or defend themselves. The most prominent among them is the eel .

The Electrophorus electricus eel lives in the Peruvian and Orinoco Peruvian watersheds.Adults can be 2.5m long and weigh 20kg - (Photo: L. SOUSA)

Called eel but actually this is eel , living mainly in the Amazon basin in the low oxygen waters. Scientists have determined that an electric eel can release 650 volts of electricity when hunting or encountering enemies, but recently they discovered a new species of eel has the strongest shot of any animal.

In the journal Nature Communications , the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History said they had studied, analyzed DNA, checked the ecological-geographic distribution of eel and realized that it wasn't just one that has three different species of eel. These are Electrophorus Electricus, Electrophorus varii and Electrophorus voltai.

In which the Electrophorus voltai eel can produce the most powerful discharge of all, reaching 850 volts. This is the largest bioelectric discharge created by animals ever recorded.

These three eel species were separated from a common ancestor during the Miocene and Pliocene periods (2.3 - 2.5 million years ago). Scientists believe that the higher voltage Electrophorus voltai is an adaptation to high-water, poorly conductive environments.

Dr. C. David de Santana (Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History) said the discovery of this eel could provide useful new knowledge for electrification and medicine.

Currently, world scientists are still studying eel discharge mechanism to make batteries for implant devices.

"Eels may have different enzymes, different compounds that can be used in medicine or may inspire new technology," said Dr. C. David de Santana.