Electric Stingray

It turns out that not only sharks should be careful. Some inhabitants of the seas have amazing abilities, attracting special attention. One such representative of the marine world is an electric ramp.

The mini generators of this fish produce a charge of electricity that can immobilize not only fish, but also humans. According to some reports, fish-stingray can "give out" a voltage of 300 volts. The organs of the fish, located in the abdominal and dorsal parts of the body, can be compared with an electric or with a galvanic battery.

The electric ramp uses its unique weapon in two cases: in danger and during the search for prey (hunting). It is interesting that he himself does not suffer with an electric discharge at all. Such invulnerability is attributed to the "isolation" granted to him by nature.

The famous scientist Gesner argued that the electric ramp is a lazy fish floating in puddles near the sea and preferring a muddy bottom.

But in contrast to laziness and sluggishness, nature endowed the slope with a special ability to extract even the fastest fish that the discharge of current makes sluggish (or kills at all). The skate freezes at the bottom and, "scanning" the environment, patiently waits for its prey. The fish, deceived by immobility and losing vigilance, swims alongside and receives its "dose" of current (several dozen short discharges), after which the ramp only remains to pick up its prey.

By the way, practically all the fishermen had the opportunity to feel the force of the impact of the "electric fish" on themselves, involuntarily throwing wet nets into which the sting hit - so sensitive is the attack of this fish. Those who risked touching the slope, later told of their extremely unpleasant sensations: their arms grew numb, they became cold and completely lost sensitivity; There was a shiver in my legs; There was a prolonged state of drowsiness. That's why fishermen never touch their slopes with their hands.

If suddenly, while walking along the coast at low tide, you will see a jumping ramp trying to reach the water, do not risk hindering or helping it, otherwise after a while such feelings will be provided to you. Keep in mind: the stingray is able to transmit its power even through objects, so the big difference is whether you touch it with your hand, or with a stick, in general there is not.

The most dangerous for a person is the simultaneous retention of this fish by the stomach and back - the place of "batteries". Actually, ignorant people do so, because keeping a fish with a similar body structure is so much more convenient. Ignorance of the features of the slope almost immediately turns into a sharp drop in blood pressure, convulsions, a violation of the heart rhythm. Therefore, it is better to stay away from the "skatopasnyh" places and, going into the water even in a wet suit, do not touch the bottom.

However, such a force is possessed only by live fish. A dead electric ramp is not dangerous, and even quite suitable for eating. It is interesting that the strength of the discharge produced by the slope is not always the same even for the same individual. For example, the field of successful hunting, the ramp becomes more vulnerable, since it has already spent most of its energy. And the restoration of this energy will require "recharging", in this case - time. After lying on the seabed for several hours, the electric ramp will be restored and will be ready again for attack or defense.

The appearance of this fish is completely unremarkable: disk-shaped, fleshy with brownish streaks, a narrow tail and a small, rounded stigma are absolutely imperceptible at the bottom.

The female skate for about a year has soft eggs and gives birth to independent, tiny cubs, already capable of electric attack. Unlike fish, whose eggs can spawn several hundred fry, the electric ray is less fertile, - on average a year, it produces only a dozen of its kind.