10 Facts about Coelacanth

Friday, January 29th 2016. | Animals


Here are some interesting Facts about Coelacanth that you need to note. There are two existing species in genus Latimeria included as coelacanths. The two species are Latimeria menadoensis and Latimeria chalumnae. The former one is called as Indonesian coelacanth. The latter one is often called West Indian Ocean coelacanths. You can spot them near the Comoro Islands.

Facts about Coelacanth 1: the close relationship

Coelacanths have a close relationship with mammals, reptiles and lungfish. They are not closely related to ray finned fishes.

Facts about Coelacanth 2: where to find coelacanths

If you want to spot the presence of coelacanths, you can go to the coastlines of Indonesia and Indian Ocean.

Coelacanth Facts

Coelacanth Facts

Facts about Coelacanth 3: the threatened animals

Both species of coelacanth received the threatened status. The critically endangered species is the West Indian coelacanth. There is no need to wonder that the order is the most endangered one in the world.

Facts about Coelacanth 4: the subclass

Do you know the subclass of coelacanth? It is called Actinistia. The members of the subclass include Devonian fish and lungfish.

Facts about Coelacanth

Facts about Coelacanth

Facts about Coelacanth 5: the extinction

It was believed that coelacanth had extinct 66 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous Period. However, in 1938, they were spotted in South African’s coast.

Facts about Coelacanth 6: the lobe finned fishes

As I have stated before, coelacanth is included as a part of lobe finned fishes. But it has a three lobed caudal fin which distinguished coelacanth from other lobe finned fishes. The unique fin is called a diphycercal tail or a trilobate fin.

Coelacanth

Coelacanth

Facts about Coelacanth 7: the heart of coelacanth

If you compare the heart of coelacanth with the modern fish, it has different arrangement and shape. The heart of coelacanth has the straight tube arrangement. Get facts about clownfish here.

Facts about Coelacanth 8: the fat

Do you know that the fat comprises 98.5 percent from the braincase of coelacanth? The brain tissue only occupies 1.5 percent from the braincase.

Coelacanth Pic

Coelacanth Pic

Facts about Coelacanth 9: the kidney

The kidney of coelacanth has unusual location. There are two kidneys owned by the animals but both of them are fused into one. Probably it is caused by the high amount of fatty organ. Get facts about cod fish here.

Facts about Coelacanth 10: the size

Coelacanth can reach the weight at 200 pounds with the body can grow up to 6.5 feet or 2 meters.

Coelacanth Pictures

Coelacanth Pictures

Do you have any opinion on facts about coelacanth?


tags: ,