A whole-genome duplication event in the teleost lineage allowed for the neofunctionalization of the voltage-gated sodium channel gene Scn4aa which produces electric discharges. Early research pointed to convergence between lineages, but more recent genomic research is more nuanced.
The teleost lineage experienced a whole-genome duplication event that resulted in the evolution of Scn4aa, a voltage-gated sodium channel gene responsible for generating electrical discharges. Initial research indicated similarities across lineages, but newer genomic investigations reveal greater complexity.