Description of the Coelacanth

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    The coelacanth has a very distinct look. It has very large blue eyes and distinct silver-blue scales with white markings (Hamlin, 1999). It can reach up to 1.8 metres in length and 95 kilograms in weight (Coad, 1998). This is huge! This fish has a hinged jaw at the cranium and has bony, meaty, jointed fins and this is why they were thought to have walked (Coad, 1998). The Coelacanth is a live-bearer, usually having up to five young(Hamlin, 1999). This is one reason why the fish are so rare, because they do not reproduce efficiently. They are now an endangered species(WWF, 1998). They also have paired fins and are thought to be long-lived (Coad, 1998).
    The Coelacanth swims very slowly due to the fact that it cannot absorb oxygen quickly (Hamlin, 1999). This is the reason why they die when they are pulled up to the surface. When they are hooked on a fisherman's line, they are pulled up to the surface quickly, so they asphixiate on the way up.