electrosensory

Electrosensory refers to the sense by which organisms detect electric fields. In biology, electrosensation includes the detection of ambient environmental electric fields and, in some species, the generation and sensing of self-produced fields for active electrolocation and communication. It is most developed in aquatic vertebrates, where water conductivity makes electric cues useful for navigation, prey detection, and social interactions.

In fishes, electroreceptors are specialized sensory cells located in the skin. There are two main types: ampullary organs and tuberous organs. Ampullary organs detect very weak, low-frequency or direct-current fields and underlie passive electroreception. Tuberous organs detect higher-frequency signals, including those produced by the animal itself, and mediate active electrolocation and some forms of social signaling. In sharks, rays, and many bony fishes, ampullae of Lorenzini form a network on the head that enables detection of weak nearby fields produced by prey or environmental objects.

Active electrolocation involves discharging an electric field through an electric organ and sensing perturbations with tuberous receptors. This allows certain fish to locate objects, estimate size and distance, and navigate in turbid water. Electric eels (Electrophorus) and various gymnotiform knifefishes are prominent examples, producing continuous or pulsed discharges and mapping their environment through electrolocation.

Electrosensitivity is also present in a few terrestrial animals. The platypus, a monotreme, uses electroreceptors on its bill to detect prey in water, an adaptation that supports foraging in muddy substrates. Overall, electrosensory systems show diverse evolutionary solutions for sensing electrical cues across vertebrates.

Electrosensory research informs understanding of sensory evolution, predation strategies, and potential biomimetic applications in sensing technologies.