Researchers from the University of Bonn discovered the ways in which six different groups of electric fish acquired the ability to generate electricity.
The researchers found that muscle cells of fish have the innate capability to create electrical energy. But these six groups of fish have certain muscle cells that evolve into cells called electrolytes, which can create electricity at higher voltages.
"Electric fish can electrically 'illuminate' their environs to detect objects that differ in their electric properties from the surrounding water," said Gerhard von der Emde, lead researcher and neuroethologist at the University of Bonn, during an interview with National Geographic.
The researchers focused on one group of electric fish in particular - the electric eel. Analysts found that the eel had been misclassified because it was actually a type of electric fish. Electric eels were observed to generate low electricity pulses all the time as part of their survival means. The electric eels generate high electricity voltages to protect themselves from predators.
Aside from the electric eel, Bonn also studied platypuses. For years, it was a mystery how the animal was able to catch prey during the night with their ears, nostrils and eyes closed. The researchers found out that platypus were also capable of using the electric impulses of their prey to locate and catch them.
The bill of a platypus consists of at least 40,000 sensors arranged in stripes, which they use to track their prey.
Another animals in this study included Oriental hornet. This insect has been classified as a solar-powered animal, due to its exoskeleton, which can transform solar energy into pulses of electricity. The Oriental hornets were most active during the hottest part of the day. They had brown and yellow stripes that enabled them to collect the Sun's solar energy.
Elephant nose fish, sharks and electric rays were also put under the microscope for this probe.
Further details of the study were published in the June 27 issue of Science.
