electroreceptor

[ ih-lek-troh-ri-sep-ter ]
/ ɪˌlɛk troʊ rɪˈsɛp tər /

noun Zoology.

any of an array of tiny, electrically sensitive ampullar organs present in sharks, electric eels, catfish, and certain other fishes, each organ being composed of a bundle of nerve fibers and sensory cells within a gel-filled conducting duct that can pick up weak electrical currents emitted by creatures moving in the water.

Origin of electroreceptor

electro- + receptor

Words nearby electroreceptor

electroplaque, electroplate, electroplating, electropolish, electropositive, electroreceptor, electroreduction, electrorefining, electroretinogram, electroretinograph, electroretinography

British Dictionary definitions for electroreceptor

electroreceptor
/ (ɪˈlɛktrəʊrɪˌsɛptə) /

noun

zoology an organ, present in some fishes, that detects electrical discharges