Latimeriidae [Latimeriidae]

Description

Latimeriidae is a family of rare coelacanths, comprising the only known living genus, Latimeria, which includes two extant species: the West Indian Ocean coelacanth and the Indonesian coelacanth. These deep-sea fish are characterized by their lobed pectoral and pelvic fins, which give the appearance of limbs, a feature that reflects their evolutionary relationship to terrestrial vertebrates. Latimeriidae are critically endangered and known for their distinctive blue or brown color, large size (up to 2 meters in length), and a unique method of locomotion that involves moving their lobed fins in a pattern similar to walking. They inhabit underwater caves and depths of up to 700 meters, primarily feeding on other fish. The discovery of Latimeria chalumnae in 1938 was a significant scientific event, as coelacanths were previously thought to have been extinct for millions of years.

Genera

Taxonomy