Comments on: First Zanzibar Coelacanth Caught

By: Mnynames

Mnynames — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 04:31:28 +0000

So I suppose finding a colony of black panthers in New Hampshire wouldn’t lead you to suspect that we don’t know everything that’s in our forests either? After all, we know black panthers exist, too.

Come on, finding a Coelacanth anywhere where it isn’t known to be is a relatively big deal. It obviously proves that we didn’t know everything lurking in the depths of the waters off Zanzibar, at the very least.

Now, having said that, it’s not too surprising, given that other African sites are known. Finding one of these fish in, say, the Gulf Of Mexico, would obviously be a little more surprising, and by extension, much more of a big deal. But, you never know what someone might pull up tomorrow…

By: Benjamin Radford

Benjamin Radford — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 01:00:00 +0000

“Great story. Just more proof that we don’t know what is out there in the ocean depths.”

Huh? Where’s the logic here? Maybe I missed something, but finding a fish that has been known to exist since 1938 is hardly “proof that we don’t know what is out there in the ocean depths.”

By: dogu4

dogu4 — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 17:28:34 +0000

Since pronghorns are mentioned as a kind of living fossil, it should be pointed out that they evolved to evade a now missing cat, the cheetah. And these are only a couple of examples of species who are conspicuously absent and in fact an idea to re-introduce cheetahs and other once native critters to mend the ecosystem’s natural diversity has been gathering some interest and support among conservation biologists and significant groups.

By: sasquatch

sasquatch — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 12:54:24 +0000

Amazing huh?, If these can still be living then…Mokele Mbembe, Nessie, Champ, Caddy, Mamlambo, river dinos(4 corners area raptor-like dinos), pteradactyls, giant sloths, prong horn anteleope….er uh wait, we already have discovered them…Did you guys know prong horn are a “living fossil”? Yep, they were around in the wooly mammoth days…Crocodiles were around with dinos as were sharks or actually sharks are SUPPOSED to be older. None of this Coelecanth stuff suprises me.

By: dogu4

dogu4 — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:41:11 +0000

If you find yourself in San Francisco some day with a little time to on your hands, the California Academy of Science in Golden Gate Park had (or had, last time I was there) the original specimen collected in the the 1935 expedition which they, in part, sponsored.

By: sluggo

sluggo — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 21:15:17 +0000

WOW, this is so good to see.

You know, as a kid we all wanted to see dinosaurs and dragons et al so badly. And here we go, 80 million year old fish.

Absolutely incredible photo. Thanks for sending this out.

By: DARHOP

DARHOP — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 16:15:36 +0000

Why aren’t these fish being released back into the Ocean? Is it because they are already dead by the time they are pulled from nets? Or is it that these people don’t know what they have?

By: Atticus

Atticus — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 07:01:22 +0000

I think it’s a good thing that the Coelacanths are showing up in more and more places.

Perhaps we may be not so sure of their numbers exactly?

By: ShefZ28

ShefZ28 — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 05:14:22 +0000

This species of fish disappears from the fossil record 80 million years ago and it presumed extinct.

Just how many other creatures still exist that disappeared from the fossil record.. or have never been found in the fossil record?

By: dogu4

dogu4 — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 03:43:06 +0000

Now that some general characteristics of the depth and habitat in which they thrive are becoming known, I won’t be surprised if they’re found in other regions within the Indian Ocean and maybe beyond. As the more easily caught fish near the surfaceare depleted, harvesting is taking place at greater depth and local markets are turning up with some surprising “catch of the day”.