What is a coelacanth (pronounced see-la-kanth)? It is a bony, marine, lobe-finned fish in the Class Osteichthyes, Subclass Sarcopterygii, Order Coelacanthini (BBC, 1998). The first species found was named Latimeria chalumnae (Coad, 1998). There have been many specimens found all over the world, which have each been given different species names. The coelacanth is the last of the lobe-finned fish and all the fish today are thought to have evolved from these (BBC, 1998).