Category:Elephantfish

Elephantfish are all part of the Mormyridae family. This family consists of 18 genera and about 200 species. Mormyrids are distinguished by their snout which often is extended into a proboscis. The caudal penuncle serves as the sitefor a weak electrical organ used in orientation. Using this organ, Mormyrids are able to communicate with each other, find prey, and detect predators is murky waters or at night. Mormyrids have a large brain-nearly equal in the body weight to brain weight ratio of humans. Most Mormyrids are nocturnal or crepuscular species.

It must be noted that Mormyrids are poisoned by copper salts and so will react badly to most commercially available medications.