Electric catfish
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2008-06-10T15:33:24Z
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{{Taxobox
| name = Electric catfish
| image = Malapterurus electricus 1.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = ''[[Malapterurus electricus]]''
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[Actinopterygii]]
| ordo = [[Catfish|Siluriformes]]
| familia = '''Malapteruridae'''
| familia_authority = [[Pieter Bleeker|Bleeker]], 1858
| subdivision_ranks = Genera
| subdivision =
''[[Malapterurus]]''<br>
''[[Paradoxoglanis]]''<br>
}}
'''Electric catfish''' is the common name for the [[catfish]] ([[order (biology)|order]] Siluriformes) [[family (biology)|family]] '''Malapteruridae'''. This family includes two [[genus|genera]], ''[[Malapterurus]]'' and ''[[Paradoxoglanis]]'' with 19 [[species]].<ref name="Ferraris">{{cite journal|url=http://silurus.acnatsci.org/ACSI/library/biblios/2007_Ferraris_Catfish_Checklist.pdf|title=Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types|first=Carl J., Jr.|last=Ferraris|journal=[[Zootaxa]]|volume=1418|pages=1–628|year=2007|format=[[PDF]]}}</ref> Several species of this family have the ability to produce an [[electric shock]] of up to 350 [[volt]]s using electroplaques of an [[electric organ]].<ref name="Ng"/> Electric catfish are found in tropical [[Africa]] and the [[Nile River]].<ref name="Nelson"/> Electric catfish are usually [[nocturnal]] and feed primarily on other [[fish]], incapacitating their [[prey]] with [[electric discharge]]s.<ref name="Ng"/>
==Description==
Malapteruridae is the only group of catfish with a well-developed electrogenic organ; however, electroreceptive systems are widespread in catfishes.<ref name="Howes"/> The electrogenic organ is derived from anterior body musculature and lines the body cavity.<ref name="Nelson">{{cite book|title=[[Fishes of the World]]|last=Nelson|first=Joseph S.|publisher=[[John Wiley & Sons]], Inc|year=2006|isbn=0-471-25031-7}}</ref> Electric catfish do not have dorsal fins or fin spines. They have three pairs of barbels (the nasal pair is absent).<ref name="Nelson"/> The [[gas bladder|swim bladder]] with elongate posterior chambers, two chambers in ''Malapterrus'' and three in ''Paradoxoglanis''.<ref name="Nelson"/>
They can grow as large as 100 [[centimetre]]s (39 [[inch|in]]) [[fish measurement|SL]] and about 20 [[kilogram]]s (44 [[pound (mass)|lb]]) in [[weight]].<ref name="Nelson"/><ref name="Ng">{{cite web|url=http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Malapterurus_electricus.html|first=Heok Hee|last=Ng|title=''Malapterurus electricus''|publisher=Animal Diversity Web|year=2000|accessdate=2007-07-28}}</ref> All ''Paradoxoglanis'' species are much smaller.<ref name="Nelson"/> Most malapterurids are dwarf species less than 30 cm (12 inches) long.
==Relationship to humans==
The Nile fish was well known to the [[ancient Egypt]]ians. The Egyptians have depicted the fish in their [[mural painting]]s and elsewhere; the first extant depiction of an electric catfish is that on the slate pallete of the pre-dynastic Egyptian ruler [[Narmer]], about [[3100 BC]].<ref name="Howes">{{cite journal|journal=Journal of Natural History|year=1985|volume=19|pages=37–67|title=The phylogenetic relationships of the electric catfish family Malapteruridae (Teleostei: Siluroidei)|first=George J.|last=Howes|doi=10.1080/00222938500770031}}</ref> An account of its electric properties was given by an Arab physician of the 12th century; then as now the fish was known by the suggestive name of ''Raad'' or ''Raash'', which means ''[[thunder]]'' (literally ''trembler'', ''shaker'').
The shock an electric catfish can generate is not known to be fatal to humans.<ref name="Ng"/>
==Popular culture==
The ''[[Animal Planet]]'' episode "[[The Future Is Wild]]" introduced the ''lurkfish'', a theoretical descendant of the electric catfish in 1,000,000 years in the future, which has a much more powerful electric shock that it uses as an active weapon.
== References ==
{{1911}}
{{commons|Malapterurus electricus}}
<references/>
[[Category:Malapteruridae| ]]
[[Category:Fish of Africa]]
[[Category:Electric fish]]
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[[th:วงศ์ปลาดุกไฟฟ้า]]