Coelacanth (Latimeria chalumnae)

Latimeria

IUCN STATUS

Critically Endangered

Coelacanth (Latimeria chalumnae) — Western Indian Ocean off East Africa

CONSERVATION STATUS

Critically Endangered

CLASS

Sarcopterygii

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE

Western Indian Ocean off East Africa

DIET

Carnivorous

HABITAT

Deep ocean (150-700 m), rocky slopes

🔬 Classification

PHYLUM

Chordata

CLASS

Sarcopterygii

ORDER

Coelacanthiformes

FAMILY

Latimeriidae

GENUS

Latimeria

📋 Description

SIZE

1.5-2 m, 80-100 kg

COLORATION

Blue-grey with white spots

ADAPTATIONS

Lobed fins; deep-sea dweller

🌿 Ecology

HABITAT

Deep ocean (150-700 m), rocky slopes

DIET

Carnivorous

GEOGRAPHIC RANGE

Western Indian Ocean off East Africa

REPRODUCTION

Live birth; 5-26 pups after long gestation

DIET DETAILS

Fish, squid

⚠️ Threats & Conservation

PRIMARY THREATS

Bycatch, habitat disturbance

💡 Interesting Facts

1

Living Fossils: Thought extinct for 66 million years until 1938, coelacanths swim unchanged since the dinosaur era, their lobed fins hinting at the fish that crawled onto land. Their discovery off South Africa stunned science, rewriting evolutionary tales.

2

Deep Divers: They hover in dark depths using a unique 'standstill' swim, powered by an oil-filled swim bladder that keeps them neutrally buoyant, a relic of ancient oceans. Rarely seen, they're glimpsed only by submersibles or lucky fishermen.