Range of electrosensory detection of prey by Carcharhinus melanopterus and Himantura granulata

Abstract

Elasmobranch fishes have a well developed electrosense that is used for prey detection. Research into the nature of bioelectric cues emitted by prey has, however, been neglected, and consequently the spatial context in which the electrosense operates to detect and home in on prey is not completely understood. This study provided data on both ac and dc electric potentials produced by teleost, crustacean and bivalve prey, as well as measured the decay rates of electric field strength with distance. The electrosensitivity of two tropical elasmobranch species was calculated to be ~4 nV cm^–1, from which it was calculated that these predators probably detect their prey at a range of ~0. 25 m.