Electric catfish

Malapterurus electricus

Discharges four hundred fifty volts

Tropical
Regional distribution
Freshwater fish
Africa
Fusiform
Large
Tropical fish

Malapterurus electricus is a thickset fish with six mouth barbels and a single fin on its back, just anterior to the rounded tail fin. It is brownish or grayish, irregularly spotted with black, and attains a length and weight of about 1.2 metres (3 ft 11 in) and 23 kilograms (51 lb) M. electricus is capable of generating and controlling the discharge of up to 450 volts of electricity. It uses its power to defend itself and to capture prey.

Class: Teleosts
Order: Catfishes
Family: Malapteruridae
Genus: Malapterurus
Maximum length: 122 cm
Water: Freshwater
Body shape: fusiform
Distribution: Africa: typical Sudanian distribution; in much of the Nile system (exclusive of Lake Victoria), Lake Turkana, Lake Chad and Senegal basins, throughout the Niger system and smaller southward flowing basins in west Africa, from Bandama through Volta rivers in Ivory Coast and Ghana (Ref. 44050 ). Absent from Congo basin; reports from Congo basin refer to any of the other species in this system (see Ref. 44050 for details).
Conservation status: LCLeast Concern

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