• Amazing Senses in the Animal World
    Awake!—2003 | March 8

    • The Electric Sense

      The scenario mentioned earlier involving the hidden flounder and the shark actually occurred during a scientific study of sharks. The researchers wanted to know if sharks and rays sensed the minute electric fields that emanate from living fish.c To find out, they hid electrodes in the sandy floor of the shark pool and applied the appropriate voltage. The result? As soon as the shark neared the electrodes, it viciously attacked them.

      Sharks possess what is called passive electroreception; they sense electric fields just as the ear passively hears sound. But electric fish have active electroreception. Like a bat that emits an acoustic signal and reads the echo, these fish emit electric waves or pulses, depending on the species, and then, with special receptors, detect any disturbances made to these fields.d Thus electric fish can identify obstacles, potential prey, or even a mate.

  • Amazing Senses in the Animal World
    Awake!—2003 | March 8

    • d The electric fish we are referring to here produce only a minute charge. They are not to be confused with electric fish that produce much higher voltages, such as electric rays and eels, which stun either in defense or in the capture of prey. Electric eels can even kill a horse!