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Electric Eel vs Picuda barracuda

Electrophorus electricus comparado con Sphyraena barracuda

Taxonomy & Classification

Atributo Electric Eel Picuda barracuda
Nombre Científico Electrophorus electricus Sphyraena barracuda
Orden Gymnotiformes Perciformes
Familia Gymnotidae Sphyraenidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern

Physical Traits

Atributo Electric Eel Picuda barracuda
Longitud Máxima 250,0 cm 200,0 cm
Peso Máximo 20,0 kg 50,0 kg
Color Dark olive-gray to grayish-brown cylinder-shaped body with a pale yellowish-orange throat and chin; back uniformly dark; scaleless skin has a smooth appearance; long ribbon-like anal fin is pinkish. Steel-gray to dark gunmetal-blue back with a pale silvery-white belly; scattered irregular dark blotches on the lower flanks; tail fin is grayish with whitish tips on both lobes.

Habitat & Environment

Atributo Electric Eel Picuda barracuda
Tipo de Agua Freshwater Saltwater
Rango de Profundidad 0-100m
Distribución Geográfica Native to the Orinoco and Amazon river basins in Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and Brazil. Inhabits murky, oxygen-depleted floodplain pools, swamps, and slow-moving streams in lowland … Circumtropical in shallow coastal waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans. Frequents coral reefs, seagrass beds, and estuaries from Florida and the Caribbean to …
Hábitat Estuaries Pelagic, coral reefs, estuaries

Información de Pesca

Atributo Electric Eel Picuda barracuda
Pez de Pesca Deportiva No
Clasificación de Pelea 7/10
Récord Mundial
Nivel de Mercurio

Cuisine & Edibility

Electric Eel

Not consumed — an ornamental and scientific novelty species kept in specialized aquarium exhibits; edible in principle but extremely dangerous to handle due to powerful electric discharge.

Picuda barracuda

Firm, lean white flesh with a mild flavor when small; larger individuals risk ciguatera fish poisoning and are generally avoided. Smaller fish eaten grilled or fried in the Caribbean.

Species Overview

Electric Eel

Despite its name, the electric eel is not a true eel but a knifefish. It can generate electrical discharges of up to 860 volts to stun prey and defend itself. About 80% of its body is dedicated to three electric organs.

Picuda barracuda

The great barracuda is a fearsome-looking predator found in tropical and subtropical oceans. With its torpedo-shaped body, pronounced underbite, and fang-like teeth, it can strike prey at speeds exceeding 58 km/h.

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