South American rivers are home to at least three different species of electric eels, including a newly identified species capable of generating a greater electrical discharge than any other known animal, according to a new analysis published in the Sept. 10 issue of the journal Nature Communications. The third species, Electrophorus varii (shown above), named after the late Smithsonian ichthyologist Richard Vari, swims through murky, slow-flowing lowland waters.
Credit: D. Bastos
Study Also Documents Most Powerful Biologically Produced Electric Shock and Strengthens Case for Preserving Amazon’s Rich Biodiversity
