Morphology Data of Electrophorus electricus
Identification keys
Abnormalities
Main Ref. Planquette, P., P. Keith and P.-Y. Le Bail, 1996
Appearance refers to Male; Female
Bones in OsteoBase

Sex attributes

Specialized organs no special organs
Different appearance males alike females
Different colors males alike females
Remarks

Descriptive characteristics of juvenile and adult

Striking features other (see Diagnosis)
Body shape lateral elongated
Cross section oval
Dorsal head profile more or less straight
Type of eyes more or less normal
Type of mouth/snout more or less normal
Position of mouth terminal
Type of scales
Diagnosis

This species is distinguished by the following characters: ventral outline of head U-shaped, widest at terminus of branchial opening and lateral-line pores 88-101 (vs. ovoid, widest anterior to branchial opening, 112-146 in E. voltai); differs from E. varii with skull depressed, cleithrum lies between vertebrae 5 and 6 (vs. (vs. skull deep with cleithrum lying between vertebrae 1 and 2), pectoral-fin rays 32-38 (vs. 20-28) and lateral-line pores 88-101 (vs. 124-186). Low-voltage (Sachs’ organ) electric organ discharges or EODs and high-voltage (main/Hunter’s organ) with head-positive monophasic waveform. Low voltage EOD 2.03-2.19 ms duration; high-voltage EOD 480 V at 760mm TL (Ref. 120918).

Description: body elongated and sub-cylindrical at pectoral girdle, progressively compressed posteriorly; no scales; superior mouth large with one row of conical teeth on each jaw; anal and caudal fins seamlessly conjoined; anus and urogenital papilla separated and located anterior to ventral margin of branchial opening. Colour of head and body brown to blackish and with a clear band along the body, below lateral line, variably present; three abdominal pairs of electric organs (Ref. 12225, 120918).

Ease of Identification

Meristic characteristics of Electrophorus electricus

Lateral Lines 1 Interrupted: No
Scales on lateral line
Pored lateral line scales 88 - 101
Scales in lateral series
Scale rows above lateral line
Scale rows below lateral line
Scales around caudal peduncle
Barbels
Gill clefts (sharks/rays only)
Gill rakers
on lower limb
on upper limb
total
Vertebrae
preanal
total

Fins

Dorsal fin(s)

Attributes greatly reduced or absent
Fins number
Finlets No. Dorsal   0 - 0
Ventral  0 - 0
Spines total 0 - 0
Soft-rays total 0 - 0
Adipose fin absent

Caudal fin

Attributes pointed; confluent

Anal fin(s)

Fins number 1
Spines total
Soft-rays total

Paired fins

Pectoral Attributes  more or less normal
Spines     
Soft-rays   32 - 38
Pelvics Attributes  suppressed/absent
Position    absent
Spines     
Soft-rays   
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