Illustration of coelacanth
coelacanth
noun
coe·la·canth
ˈsē-lə-ˌkan(t)th 
: any of an order (Coelacanthiformes) of lobe-finned fishes known chiefly from Paleozoic and Mesozoic fossils
Examples of coelacanth in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
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
Over the past 410 million years, more than more than 175 species of coelacanths have been discovered.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 12 Sep. 2024
Contemporary coelacanths are often described as living fossils.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 13 Sep. 2024
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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
Over the past 410 million years, more than more than 175 species of coelacanths have been discovered.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 12 Sep. 2024
Contemporary coelacanths are often described as living fossils.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 13 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for coelacanth
Cite this Entry
“Coelacanth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coelacanth. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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