Malapterurus electricus is an electric catfish from African rivers. This fish generates electric discharges up to 350 volts to stun prey and defend itself.
Malapterurus electricus differs from other catfish by its powerful electric organ, which occupies most of the body. It helps maintain balance in African rivers by limiting the number of small fish.
Legendary longevity: over 100 years. Galapagos tortoises, Greenland sharks, ocean quahogs celebrate with family once every 4 years
Immature form that undergoes metamorphosis before adulthood.
Offspring
Worker
Elders
Bro
birth time
Pelagic Ocean
Taxons
carnivore
if born as {name}
Dogs, dolphins, lynx hang out for 9-25 years and party on their birthday three times a year
m
Map
will celebrate their {n} birthday
Electric organ size
electric organ
g
age
t
When your next jubilee falls in {name} life years
Human
birth date
hot Africa south of the desert, many savannas and forests
no permanent shelter
Close
very hot and very humid all year round, rain almost every day
was
days
Career from 7 to 15 months. Dwarf hamsters, voles, field crickets celebrate their birthday twice a month
The basics
How old you would be if you lived as {name}
Neotropical realm
crustaceans
Theoretical maximum lifespan estimated from the Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) mathematical model. This value reflects a biological potential derived from metabolic parameters, not from direct observation — real recorded lifespans are often significantly shorter.
My weight?
small planktonic crustaceans — copepods, krill
Non-stop carnival: they only live a few days. Mayflies, rotifers, midges celebrate their birthday more than twice a day
adult
Maturity
fish of small size
primary food sources
South and Central America, hot and humid, huge forests
Melon
Potential Habitat
About health
marine coastal
cool, lots of coniferous trees, snow in winter
When your next birthday would fall if you lived as {name}
d
In husbandry
On the go from 1.3 to 3.5 years. Forest mice, anoles, rainbow fish party on their birthday once a month
Repro interval
results
Mass
Mosquitoes, fruit flies, small crustaceans hustle for up to 7 months and throw a birthday party every week
Body size
Colors
Sex
{name} birthday
Upcoming jubilees
Gremllins
mo
No results found
all seas and oceans
Trophic type
Filters
small fish
On the map
all life stages
Female ♀
Body color
Upcoming birthdays
world of Afrotropics
Map data sources: Ecosystem classification — IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology (Keith et al., 2022), indicative distribution maps Keith et al. (2020), https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3546513; Large Marine Ecosystems — NOAA LME Program; Bathymetry — GEBCO Bathymetric Compilation Group (2026), GEBCO_2026 Grid, https://doi.org/10.5285/4f68d5c7-45eb-f999-e063-7086abc036fa; Climate data — Generated using Copernicus Climate Change Service information; Species occurrence data — GBIF.org, Derived dataset "all animals", https://zveriki.com/dataset/dataset.tsv; Terrestrial ecoregions — RESOLVE Ecoregions 2017 (Dinerstein et al., 2017), CC BY 4.0
Potential habitat modelled from GBIF occurrence data. Map © Zveriki.com, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Truly long lives: 40-100 years. Bowhead whales, albatrosses, giant tortoises recall their birthday at most once a year
Lifespan
birth year
Maturity
rains almost always, very humid
Age (juvenile)
Fins size
insect larvae and caterpillars
Age (from birth to death)
sq mm
yr
Age (embryo)
Wanderers
Age (larva)
How similar?
far from shore, deep water, large whales and sharks live here
Egg size
Jubilee = every 10th birthday
Male ♂
until the celebration
age as {name}
How do they breed?
On the go from 3.5 to 6 years. Hedgehogs, crows, lizards treat themselves to birthday snacks 6 times a year
What if eaten?
Neither
Earliest developmental stage inside an egg or womb.
Business sausages
from birth to adulthood
Lifespan average
What do they eat?
insect larvae
Where do they live?
Rapidly swallows prey or food items whole without chewing.
young after fast growth
Immature individual that has not yet reached reproductive maturity.
Marine world
from birth to death
Juvenile stage following larval metamorphosis but not yet adult.
early young
What do they look like?
Maturity
emergence (insects)
world of Afrotropics
end of lifespan
Freshwater
How do they live?
fertilization / egg laying
How do they behave?
birth / hatching
metamorphosis / end of larval stage
Temperate mixed forest
end of acceleration
Share
Duration
Find a pet...
Mature, fully developed individual capable of reproduction.
Freshwater
gulping
saline marine habitat
Always hot and wet
This is me
Always very wet
Gamers
Pets
How are they built?
all rivers and lakes
marine
shallow near the shore, water rises and falls, crabs live here
mm
Theoretical lifespan
ml
Stars
Link copied
electric discharge and swallowing
coastal marine zone — shelf, neritic zone
My age?
wk
My size?
whole swallow
{name} jubilee
Asexual
swap
cm
Temperate coniferous forest
Old-timers
Find an animal or breed...
turns
Rabbits, falcons, red-eared turtles hang out for 6-9 years and party on their birthday four times a year
Rascals
Where do they take shelter?
Head color
celebrated their {n} birthday
hot Africa south of the desert, many savannas and forests
electroreception
When you would have been born if you lived as {name}
Littoral Zone
Litter size
Daddies
Lifespan maximum
Map data sources: Ecosystem classification — IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology (Keith et al., 2022), indicative distribution maps Keith et al. (2020), https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3546513; Large Marine Ecosystems — NOAA LME Program; Bathymetry — GEBCO Bathymetric Compilation Group (2026), GEBCO_2026 Grid, https://doi.org/10.5285/4f68d5c7-45eb-f999-e063-7086abc036fa; Climate data — Generated using Copernicus Climate Change Service information; Species occurrence data — GBIF.org, Derived dataset "all animals", https://zveriki.com/dataset/dataset.tsv; Terrestrial ecoregions — RESOLVE Ecoregions 2017 (Dinerstein et al., 2017), CC BY 4.0
How to care for them?
Living from 25 to 40 years. Orangutans, bald eagles, African elephants celebrate their birthday twice a year
°C
Not specified
Hermaphrodite ⚥
Egg color
Where are they found?
Species lacks any fixed or lasting shelter structure.
embryo
from 0.8 to 1.2 kilograms, 0.6 – 1.2 meters
all rivers and lakes
summer warm, many oaks, birches, maples
Length
kg
Observations
◉{N} more on tap