Coelacanths [Coelacanthiformes]

Description

Coelacanthiformes, commonly known as coelacanths, are an order of fish that were thought to have been extinct since the end of the Cretaceous period until a living specimen was discovered in 1938 off the coast of South Africa. Coelacanths are characterized by their lobed pectoral and pelvic fins, which are thought to be the evolutionary precursors to the limbs of terrestrial vertebrates. These marine representatives are deep-water fishes, primarily found in the Indian Ocean and Indonesia. They are slow-moving, nocturnal, and have a unique method of locomotion, moving their lobed fins in a pattern similar to walking.

Families

Taxonomy