Paleontologists in China have described a new species of the coelacanth genus Whiteia on the basis of two fossilized specimens.

About Coelacanth
The coelacanth (pronounced SEE-lə-kanth) is one of the most famous examples of a "living fossil," a term used for species that have survived for vast periods with very little apparent change.
Here are the key facts about the coelacanth:
1. The "Living Fossil" Story

• Ancient Lineage: Coelacanths belong to an ancient group of lobe-finned fish (Sarcopterygii), a group that includes lungfish and all land-dwelling vertebrates (tetrapods). Their lineage dates back over 400 million years to the Devonian period.
• Rediscovery: They were widely believed to have gone extinct around 66 million years ago with the dinosaurs, as they disappeared from the fossil record at that time. However, a live specimen was caught off the coast of South Africa in 1938, causing a sensation in the scientific community. This makes them a prime example of a Lazarus taxon (an organism that reappears after a period of absence in the fossil record).

2. Unique Features

• Lobe-Fins: They are characterized by their paired, fleshy, limb-like fins (pectoral, pelvic, anal, and second dorsal) which are supported by internal bone structure. They move these fins in an alternating pattern that is strikingly similar to the gait of a four-limbed land animal.
• Three-Lobed Tail: They possess a distinctive three-lobed (trilobate) tail fin, with a small central lobe extending past the primary tail.
• Intracranial Joint: Coelacanths are the only living vertebrates with a hinged skull (an intracranial joint), which allows them to open their mouths exceptionally wide to consume large prey.
• Notochord: Unlike most adult fish, they retain a large, fluid-filled notochord (a flexible rod) instead of a fully developed vertebral column.
• Habitat and Behavior: They are deep-sea dwelling, nocturnal predators, typically found in rocky reefs and volcanic caves in the "twilight zone" (around 100–700 meters deep). They are generally "passive drift feeders," allowing currents to move them while they hunt fish and cephalopods.

3. Living Species and Conservation
There are two known extant (living) species of coelacanth:

Species	Common Name	Location	IUCN Status
Latimeria chalumnae	West Indian Ocean Coelacanth	Primarily found near the Comoros Islands (between Africa and Madagascar) and along the coast of East Africa.	Critically Endangered
Latimeria menadoensis	Indonesian Coelacanth	Found in the waters off Sulawesi, Indonesia.	Vulnerable

 
The species are highly protected due to their low populations and slow reproduction rate (they are ovoviviparous, meaning the eggs hatch internally and the females give live birth).

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