Comments on: Coelacanth Quickies: Hofmeyr and Mount Karthala

By: daledrinnon

daledrinnon — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 15:08:36 +0000

On Checking Shuker:

The matter is mentioned in his checklist, which is printed in his book The Animals that Hide from Man, and referring back to his earlier book Prehistoric Survivals. He also mentions Raynal as a source (Raynal has different little silver coelacanths in mind than the ones Shuker illustrated) and a possible location of more coelacanths around Easter Island.

This is “on the books” as the saying goes.

The other book’s title is actually “From Flying Toads to Snakes With Wings” and it mentions the Comoro Islands coelacanths but “no other ones known” at that point.

By: daledrinnon

daledrinnon — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 13:13:22 +0000

As I mentioned, there are different silver Coelacanths in different styles. I do believe “From Flying…” was the Shuker book that discusses the matter, and I think he mentions those coelacanths on his extended checklist of unknown animals.

As another little-known sidelight on this confused issue, the ’60’s TV show the Outer Limits seems to have picked up on rumors of the Gulf of Mexico coelacanths/”fishes with legs” and made them the monsters in one of the episodes, only it called them “Ichthiosaurus mercutius” and showed them with frog’s legs: that episode had little clay “ancient native art representations of the monsters” as well. It was one of their first season episodes called “Tourist Attraction”

By: Mnynames

Mnynames — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 02:52:43 +0000

I thought mettalurgical analysis of the votives proved them to have been made in the 1600’s by a particular mexican tribe? Were these disproven, or am I not remembering correctly? Methinks I need to brush up on my Shuker…anyone recall which of his books this was mentioned in? I want to say “Flying Frogs And Snakes With Wings”, but it’s been a while since I’ve read it.

By: daledrinnon

daledrinnon — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 12:26:58 +0000

I am not holding my breath, either, but there were more little silver Coelacanths at other times (in different styles) and the purported scales from Florida as well, as Shuker reports on and as I am certain that you know as well. It is a nice thought, anyway.

By: Loren Coleman

Loren Coleman — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 01:35:42 +0000

It is “undisclosed” for a reason, of course. Stay tuned.

The Gulf of Mexico rumors were based on little silver coelacanths, which turned out to be post-1953. I won’t hold my breath on that population.

By: daledrinnon

daledrinnon — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 01:23:54 +0000

I am always happy to hear new Coelacanth news, and I am curious about this “undisclosed location”. Now if we could only get something substantial about the possible Gulf of Mexico population!