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The coelacanth (pronounced “SEE-LA-KANTH”) is an ancient fish that is still living today and is thought to be over 350 million years old. It was originally thought to have gone extinct around at the end of the Cretaceous period over 65 million years ago, but was discovered to be still living in 1938. The word coelacanth comes from the Greek word for "hollow spine," referring to an anatomical structure of the fish. Coelacanth refers to a prehistoric order of fish, which only contains two living species, including Latimeria chalumnae and Latimeria menadoensis. The fossil record shows that there were originally over 120 species of coelacanth. Each of these are very similar and are both currently endangered species.
This is a unique type of fish because in addition to its
tremendous age, it also is notable in terms of its physical features.
The most notable feature is its pectoral and pelvic fins resemble legs,
since they are both paired and extend away from the fish’s body. These
fins also have a movement similar to that of legged animals on land, but
the coelacanth is only related to the types of fish given credit for
this type of evolution.The other features of the coelacanth resemble
those of other ancient fish, which are for the most part fairly
different from the features of common fish in current times.
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