Not Extinct After All...

[happy2fish]

Coelacanth pronounced "seel-uh-kannth fish fool scientist… They are not extinct after all. known as an extremely rare "living fossil" this elusive fish, caught by a fisherman in Indonesia, is being examined by scientists.

The 1.3m-long (4.3ft), 50kg (110lb) coelacanth is only the second ever to have been captured in Asia and has been described as a "significant find".

These fish are odd in appearance, looking almost as if they have legs because of their large-lobed fins - are sometimes known as "old four legs". This blue fish can also perform headstands, hovering with their head just over the sea floor, possibly to detect food.

Scientists previously thought the fish group had died out about 70 million years ago, and were shocked when, in 1938, they discovered that a specimen had been caught in a fishing net off the east coast of South Africa. Since then, more than 300 coelacanth species have been found. Again, in 1998, scientists were surprised to discover that another coelacanth was found thousands of miles away in Indonesia. Peter Forey, a coelacanth expert at the Natural History Museum, London, said: "The fact that another specimen has been found is significant; it confirms that this is a genuine location for another coelacanth's population."

Various efforts to conserve these ancient fish are underway. They are considered to be endangered and are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Fin Facts:

The spines that stick out from the vertebrae to the caudal fin rays are hollow.

This dark blue fish, changes after death to grey/brown.

Each fish has its own pattern of pink-like splotches that distinguish one individual from another.

The skull, unlike that of any other living animal, is in two parts with strong muscles moving the jaws apart like that of a pipe-wrench giving the coelacanth a powerful bite .

The eyes and ears are in the front part of the skull while the tiny brain and inner ear are in the back.

The rostral organ (jelly-like sac) in the middle of the snout opens outside through three pores and is possibly used to detect hidden prey electrical pulses.

Coelacanths have two dorsal fins (usually fish have one). The first dorsal can be folded down or erected.

The fleshy scale -covered lobe can be bent or rotated so that each fin can work like a paddle or sculling oar.

The pectoral and pelvic fins are like limbs.

The anal finis lobed and the caudal fin have three divisions. The lobed fins are extremely mobile and can be rotated through 100 degrees.

There is an elastic un-segmented notochord that substitutes for a backbone

The swim-bladder is buoyant due to the fact that it is filled with fat.

The coelacanth bears live young. The female can hold as many as 30 pups at a time.

Most of the skeleton is made of cartilage.

The body is covered with hard scales with small toothy-like growths on the outer surface which protect the coelacanth from the rocks and predators.

Just when you thought you pretty much seen it all...along comes a coelacanth.

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