A year later, he improved and popularised the electrophorus, a device that produced static electricity. The electrophorus simply separates positive and negative charges. In 1777, he built a large electrophorus to generate static electricity through induction. In 1777, Lichtenberg built a large electrophorus to generate high voltage static electricity through induction. The electric eel ("Electrophorus electricus", other species proposed) is a South American electric fish.