Electrophorus electricus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	ACTINOPTERYGII	GYMNOTIFORMES	GYMNOTIDAE

Scientific Name:

Electrophorus electricus

Species Authority:

(Linnaeus, 1766)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Electric eel
Spanish	–	Anguila, Anguilla, Anguilla electrica, Pez elétrico

Synonym/s:

Electrophorus multivalvulus Nakashima, 1941

Gymnotus electricus Linnaeus, 1766

Gymnotus regius Chiaje, 1847

Gymnotus tremulus Houttuyn, 1764

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:	2009
Assessor/s:	Reis, R & Lima, F.
Reviewer/s:	Collen, B., Darwall, W., Ram, M. & Smith, K. (SRLI Freshwater Fish Evaluation Workshop)
Contributor/s:
Justification: Assessed as Least Concern due to its large distribution, its ability to occupy a variety of habitats and the lack of any known major widespread threats to this species.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species occurs in the Amazon and Orinoco River basins.
Countries:	Native: Brazil; French Guiana; Guyana; Peru; Suriname; Venezuela
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	This species has a stable population trend at present.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	E. electricus is a benthopelagic (area of water not near the bottom) (ecological region at the lowest level of water body), nocturnal species that generally inhabits the muddy bottoms of rivers, streams, pools and swamps, favouring deeply shaded areas. This species is an obligatory air breather and can withstand poorly oxygenated water. Juveniles feed on invertebrates, whilst adults feed on fish and small mammals. E. electricus is a fractional spawner; there are three successive batches of eggs deposited in a spawning period. Males construct foam nests and guard the growing larvae until mid-January when the first seasonal rains flood the breeding area, causing the young eels to disperse. First-born larvae prey on other eggs and embryos coming from late spawning batches. There is a male-biased sex ratio, (3:1) and males are also considerably larger than females.
Systems:	Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

E. electricus is a benthopelagic (area of water not near the bottom) (ecological region at the lowest level of water body), nocturnal species that generally inhabits the muddy bottoms of rivers, streams, pools and swamps, favouring deeply shaded areas. This species is an obligatory air breather and can withstand poorly oxygenated water. Juveniles feed on invertebrates, whilst adults feed on fish and small mammals.

E. electricus is a fractional spawner; there are three successive batches of eggs deposited in a spawning period. Males construct foam nests and guard the growing larvae until mid-January when the first seasonal rains flood the breeding area, causing the young eels to disperse. First-born larvae prey on other eggs and embryos coming from late spawning batches. There is a male-biased sex ratio, (3:1) and males are also considerably larger than females.

Systems:

Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Small specimens are collected for the aquarium trade, they are harvested for human consumption and also for science although none of the collections are causing a decline in the population.

Major Threat(s):

Small specimens are collected for the aquarium trade, they are harvested for human consumption and also for science although none of the collections are causing a decline in the population.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	There are no conservation measures in place.

Conservation Actions:

There are no conservation measures in place.

Citation:	Reis, R & Lima, F. 2009. Electrophorus electricus. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 May 2013.
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