AMAZON BASIN, BRAZIL — Scientists have found a powerful new species of electric eel that can deliver electrical jolts greater than any other known animal.<br /><br />A new study published in Nature Communications details the discovery of two new electric eel species living in the Amazon basin.<br /><br />Electric eels are actually a type of knifefish with an eel-like appearance. They can grow to be around seven to eight feet long.<br /><br />The scientists involved in the study analyzed 107 samples of electric eels and found three species with separate genetic material and different skull shapes but similar external features.<br /><br />Previously, it was believed that the Amazon basin was home to a single species of electric eel.<br /><br />One of the newly discovered species, Electrophorus voltai, can discharge up to 860 volts of electricity — much more than the 650 volts generated by the previously known species Electrophorus electricus.<br /><br />Electrophorus varii, the other newly identified species, can produce up to 572 volts.<br /><br />Other kinds of fish can generate electric fields, which they use to navigate waters and to communicate. Only electric eels use their electricity for hunting and self-defense, according to a news release by the Smithsonian. <br /><br />Researchers believe Electrophorus voltai may have adapted to produce higher electrical power due to the poor conductivity of the highland waters where the species resides.
