SINCE 1828
coelacanth
noun
coe·la·canth
| \ ˈsē-lə-ˌkan(t)th
\
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Definition of coelacanth
: any of an order (Coelacanthiformes) of lobe-finned fishes known chiefly from Paleozoic and Mesozoic fossils
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This is good for the coelacanths as all are considered endangered. — Lynne Parenti, Smithsonian, "How the Smithsonian’s Coelacanth Lost Its Brain and Got It Back Again," 14 Mar. 2018 Some years ago, the story of the Smithsonian’s coelacanth took an interesting twist. — Lynne Parenti, Smithsonian, "How the Smithsonian’s Coelacanth Lost Its Brain and Got It Back Again," 14 Mar. 2018 This is good for the coelacanths as all are considered endangered. — Lynne Parenti, Smithsonian, "How the Smithsonian’s Coelacanth Lost Its Brain and Got It Back Again," 14 Mar. 2018 Some have looked at coelacanths and sarcopterygians, or lungfish (the latter use their pelvic fins to move in a motion like walking). — Lorraine Boissoneault, Smithsonian, "What a Walking Fish Can Teach Us About Human Evolution," 9 Feb. 2018 But in 1938, the discovery of a modern coelacanth was like seeing a fossil come back to life. — Kat Eschner, Smithsonian, "In the 1930s, This Natural History Curator Discovered a Living Fossil–Well, Sort of," 22 Dec. 2017 According to the study, researchers first interpreted such impressions as claw marks, ripples from fish or paths made by turtles or coelacanths. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Ancient Creature Left a 28-Foot Drag Mark After It Died," 11 May 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'coelacanth.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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