Sea creature that can shock prey with 37 volts washes up on Texas beach. What is it?
A sea creature with enough electric power to zap you for a “jolting surprise” was recently spotted on a Texas beach.
Padre Island National Seashore shared a photo Tuesday of a lesser electric ray, a species of numbfish that lives in the Gulf of Mexico. The electric ray was likely dead when it washed ashore last month and a park volunteer snapped a photo, officials say.
Lesser electric rays use organs with a similar structure to batteries to produce a shock, the park says.
“These electric organs are powered by electrocytes, or modified muscle cells, that use ions to discharge energy,” Padre Island National Seashore posted on Facebook. “Not only are they handy for self-defense, but they can use them to stun prey items for an easy snack.”
According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, lesser electric rays typically bury themselves in sand in shallower waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
“Accidentally stepping on one can be a shocking experience,” Texas Parks and Wildlife says. “These rays have two specialized organs on their backs which can provide enough electricity to knock down an unwary adult.”
So, should you worry about being shocked next time you’re at the beach? Not necessarily.
“While their shock should be avoided, it does not exceed 14-37 volts,” Padre Island National Seashore says. “That is enough to give someone a jolting surprise, but not an injury.”
Near Corpus Christi in South Texas, Padre Island National Seashore is the longest expanse of undeveloped barrier island in the world and “protects 70 miles of coastline, dunes, prairies, and wind tidal flats teeming with life,” according to the National Park Service.
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