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Research Article

Leaping eels electrify threats, supporting Humboldt’s account of a battle with horses

Kenneth C. Catania
  1. aDepartment of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235

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PNAS first published June 6, 2016; https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1604009113
Kenneth C. Catania
aDepartment of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235
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  • For correspondence: ken.catania@vanderbilt.edu

Supporting Information

  • Download Supporting Information (PDF)
  • Download Movie_S01 (MOV) - Slow-motion video of an electric eel leaping to shock a metal-rimmed net. The behavior was filmed at 1,000 frames/s. The red frames were colorized to indicate the timing of each high-voltage pulse during the eel’s volley.
  • Download Movie_S02 (MOV) - Slow-motion video of an electric eel (eel A) leaping to shock a split carbon rod while voltage was measured (Fig. 3C). The behavior was filmed at 1,000 frames/s. The red frames were colorized to indicate the timing of each high-voltage pulse during the eel’s volley.
  • Download Movie_S03 (MOV) - Slow-motion video of an electric eel (eel A) leaping to shock a split carbon rod while voltage was measured (Fig. 3D). The behavior was filmed at 1,000 frames/s. The red frames were colorized to indicate the timing of each high-voltage pulse during the eel’s volley.
  • Download Movie_S04 (MOV) - Slow-motion video of an electric eel (eel B) leaping to shock a split aluminum plate while voltage was measured (Fig. 3E). The behavior was filmed at 1,000 frames/s. The red frames were colorized to indicate the timing of each high-voltage pulse during the eel’s volley.
  • Download Movie_S05 (MOV) - Slow-motion video of an electric eel (eel C) leaping to shock a split aluminum plate while voltage was measured (Fig. 3D). The behavior was filmed at 1,000 frames/s. The red frames were colorized to indicate the timing of each high-voltage pulse during the eel’s volley.
  • Download Movie_S06 (MOV) - Slow-motion video of an electric eel (eel A) leaping to shock a split aluminum plate while current was measured (Fig. 4). The behavior was filmed at 1,000 frames/s. The red frames were colorized to indicate the timing of each high-voltage pulse during the eel’s volley.
  • Download Movie_S07 (MOV) - Slow-motion video, followed by real-time video, of an electric eel (eel D) leaping to shock an imitation arm containing LEDs powered by the electric eel’s discharge. Conductive tape that is out of view on the back of the limb provided the current path to the diodes.
  • Download Movie_S08 (MOV) - Slow-motion video, followed by real-time video, of an electric eel (eel D) leaping to shock an imitation predator containing LEDs powered by the electric eel’s discharge. Conductive tape along the top of the prop provided the current path to the diodes.

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