Why was the discovery of the coelacanth in 1938 so important?

The discovery by science of the Coelacanth in 1938 caused so much excitement because at that time Coelacanths were thought to be the ancestors of the tetrapods (land-living animals, including humans). It is now believed that Lungfishes are the closest living relative of tetrapods.

Who found the coelacanth in 1938?

But in 1938, the discovery of a modern coelacanth was like seeing a fossil come back to life. Today, the two known living species of coelecanth are the only members of the genus Latimeria, named for the curator who discovered the first specimen in a pile of rubbish.

Who discovered the coelacanth was not extinct?

It was Louis Agassiz who first described the group in 1839. Paleontologists had found dozens of different coelacanth species since then, but always in rocks older than 70 million years. The lack of coelacanth fossils in younger strata led them to conclude that coelacanths had gone extinct a long time ago.

How long was the coelacanth thought to be extinct?

65 million years ago
The primitive-looking coelacanth (pronounced SEEL-uh-kanth) was thought to have gone extinct with the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

What is so special about the coelacanth?

Unique to any other living animal, the coelacanth has an intracranial joint, a hinge in its skull that allows it to open its mouth extremely wide to consume large prey. 5. Instead of a backbone, they have a notochord. Coelacanths retain an oil-filled notochord, a hollow, pressurized tube that serves as a backbone.

Who found a coelacanth?

For many years, living coelacanths were known only from the western Indian Ocean, primarily from the Comoros Islands, but in September 1997 and again in July 1998, coelacanths were captured in northern Sulawesi, Indonesia, nearly 6,000 miles to the east of the Comoros. The Indonesian discovery was made by Mark V.

When was the last coelacanth found?

1938
Coelacanths were thought to have become extinct in the Late Cretaceous, around 66 million years ago, but were rediscovered in 1938 off the coast of South Africa….Coelacanth.

What is the average lifespan of a coelacanth?

48 years of
The average lifespan of coelacanths is estimated to be 48 years of age. Female coleacanths reach maturity between 16 and 19 years and give birth to live young after a very lengthy gestation period of 3 years, which is the longest gestation period of any vertebrate species.

What is the weirdest fish in the ocean?

These are the ten weirdest fish in the world

• THE COFFINFISH.
• THE SNAKEHEAD FISH.
• THE FANGTOOTH.
• THE PARROTFISH.
• THE STONEFISH.
• THE GOBLIN SHARK.
• THE ANGLERFISH.
• THE BLOBFISH.