Sulawesi coelacanth

The Sulawesi coelacanth (Latimeria menadoensis) is one of two living species of lobe-finned bony fish belonging to the genus Latimeria. These fish, named for their hollow fin spines, are powerful predators with heavy bodies and limblike fins. They are slow-growing and long-lived, with some individuals estimated to live up to 100 years and reach sexual maturity between 40 and 69 years old. Coelacanths are live-bearers, giving birth to well-developed young after a gestation period of about five years.

Originally thought to be extinct, coelacanths were rediscovered in the 20th century. The African coelacanth (Latimeria chalumnae) inhabits the Indian Ocean, while the Sulawesi coelacanth is found near Indonesia. Both species are considered threatened, with the African coelacanth classified as critically endangered and the Sulawesi coelacanth as vulnerable. Coelacanths first appeared around 400 million years ago during the Devonian Period.12