Coelacanthシーラカンス

Species Data

Classification

Coelacanthiformes / Latimeriidae Source

Distribution

Found in the western Indian Ocean from South Africa's northeast coast north to Tanzania, Kenya, the Comoros, and Madagascar, inhabiting underwater caves at depths of roughly 70 to 140 meters. Source

Did You Know?

• Long believed extinct since the end of the Cretaceous, a living individual was caught off South Africa in 1938, instantly making it world-famous as a "living fossil". Source
• Analysis of growth rings in its scales suggests a gestation period of at least five years and a lifespan of around 100 years, revealing an unusually slow life history among vertebrates. Source
• The population is estimated to have declined by about 30% between 1991 and 1994, with fewer than 500 individuals believed to remain as of 1998, placing the species at severe risk of extinction. Source

FAQ

Why is the coelacanth called a living fossil?

It was known only from fossils and believed extinct since the end of the Cretaceous period until a living specimen was caught off South Africa in 1938, revealing that the ancient lineage had survived essentially unnoticed. Source

How long does a coelacanth live?

Analysis of growth rings in its scales suggests a lifespan of around 100 years, with a gestation period of at least five years, making it one of the slowest-reproducing vertebrates known. Source