Species learning profile
Coelacanth
Latimeria chalumnae
Coelacanth (Latimeria chalumnae) is a saltwater fish associated with deep sea habitat in Global. Once thought extinct, it was rediscovered in 1938.
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Previously featured in Fishdle
At a glance
- Water
- Salt water
- Habitat
- Deep sea
- Maximum length
- 200 cm
- Range
- Worldwide
- Family
- Latimeriidae
- Order
- Coelacanthiformes
Observe
How to identify Coelacanth
- Dark blue with pale flecks.
- Thick-bodied with unusual fleshy, limb-like fins.
- Reported maximum length: 200 cm — capable of growing longer than many people are tall. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.
Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.
Place and pattern
Where it lives—and how it behaves
Habitat and range
This species is associated with deep sea habitat across Global. Food is scarce and sunlight is absent or faint, favoring energy-saving movement and specialized senses.
Behavior
Uses deep sea habitat for feeding, shelter, migration, or reproduction.
Food-web connections
What it eats and why it matters
Diet
A species-specific mix of plant material, plankton, invertebrates, or other fish.
Ecological role
It is part of the biological pump that moves food and carbon between surface water and the deep ocean..
Remember
One fact worth keeping
Once thought extinct, it was rediscovered in 1938.
Think like a conservationist
A conservation lens
Deep-sea animals often grow slowly, and recovery can be difficult after habitat disturbance or heavy fishing.
This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.
Recall
Quick knowledge check
Which habitat is most closely associated with Coelacanth in this guide?
Keep exploring
References and further reading
Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.
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