: any of an order (Coelacanthiformes) of lobe-finned fishes known chiefly from Paleozoic and Mesozoic fossils
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The most famous living fossil lis a fish called the coelacanth.—Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 18 July 2025 This reportedly marked the first time a coelacanth was photographed in its natural habitat.—Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 2 May 2025 The Indonesia coelacanth is a challenging species to research due to its deep-reef habitat.—Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 7 May 2025 Little was heard from coelacanths after the 1938 find until 2013, when Laurent Ballesta documented wild coelacanths in Sodwana Bay, off the east coast of South Africa.—Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 2 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for coelacanth
Word History
Etymology
ultimately from Greek koilos hollow + akantha spine — more at cave
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