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Actinistia
Coelacanths ( ) are an ancient group of lobe-finned fish (Sarcopterygii) in the class Actinistia. As sarcopterygians, they are more closely related to lungfish and tetrapods (the terrestrial vertebrates including living amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals) than to ray-finned fish. The name coelacanth originates from the Permian genus '' Coelacanthus'', which was the first scientifically named genus of coelacanths (in 1839), becoming the type genus of Coelacanthiformes as other species were discovered and named. Well-represented in freshwater and marine deposits from as early as the Devonian period (more than 410million years ago), they were thought to have become extinct in the Late Cretaceous, around 66million years ago. The first living species, ''Latimeria chalumnae'', the West Indian Ocean coelacanth, was described from specimens fished off the coast of South Africa from 1938 onward; they are now also known to inhabit the seas around the Comoro Islands off the eas ...
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Hadronectoridae
Coelacanths ( ) are an ancient group of Sarcopterygii, lobe-finned fish (Sarcopterygii) in the Class (biology), class Actinistia. As sarcopterygians, they are more closely related to lungfish and tetrapods (the terrestrial vertebrates including living amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals) than to Actinopterygii, ray-finned fish. The name coelacanth originates from the Permian genus ''Coelacanthus'', which was the first scientifically named genus of coelacanths (in 1839), becoming the type genus of Coelacanthiformes as other species were discovered and named. Well-represented in freshwater and marine Geological formation, deposits from as early as the Devonian period (more than 410million years ago), they were thought to have become extinct in the Late Cretaceous, around Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, 66million years ago. The first living species, ''Latimeria chalumnae'', the West Indian Ocean coelacanth, was Species description, described from specimens Fishing, f ...
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Diplocercidae
Coelacanths ( ) are an ancient group of lobe-finned fish (Sarcopterygii) in the class Actinistia. As sarcopterygians, they are more closely related to lungfish and tetrapods (the terrestrial vertebrates including living amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals) than to ray-finned fish. The name coelacanth originates from the Permian genus ''Coelacanthus'', which was the first scientifically named genus of coelacanths (in 1839), becoming the type genus of Coelacanthiformes as other species were discovered and named. Well-represented in freshwater and marine deposits from as early as the Devonian period (more than 410million years ago), they were thought to have become extinct in the Late Cretaceous, around 66million years ago. The first living species, ''Latimeria chalumnae'', the West Indian Ocean coelacanth, was described from specimens fished off the coast of South Africa from 1938 onward; they are now also known to inhabit the seas around the Comoro Islands off the east ...
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Sarcopterygii
Sarcopterygii (; )—sometimes considered synonymous with Crossopterygii ()—is a clade (traditionally a class (biology), class or subclass) of vertebrate animals which includes a group of bony fish commonly referred to as lobe-finned fish. These vertebrates are characterised by prominent muscular limb buds (lobes) within their fish fin, fins, which are supported by articulated appendicular skeletons. This is in contrast to the other clade of bony fish, the Actinopterygii, which have only skin-covered lepidotrichia, bony spines supporting the fins. The tetrapods, a mostly terrestrial animal, terrestrial clade of vertebrates, are now recognized as having evolved from sarcopterygian ancestors and are most closely related to lungfishes. Their paired pectoral fins, pectoral and pelvic fins evolved into limb (anatomy), limbs, and their lung bud, foregut diverticulum eventually evolved into air-breathing lungs. Cladistics, Cladistically, this would make the tetrapods a subgroup within ...
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Coelacanthus
''Coelacanthus'', from Ancient Greek κοῖλος (''koîlos''), meaning "hollow", and ἄκανθα (''ákantha''), meaning "spine", is a genus of extinct marine coelacanths known from the late Permian period (geology), period. It was the first genus of coelacanths described, about a century before the discovery of the extant taxon, extant coelacanth ''Latimeria''. The order (biology), order Coelacanthiformes is named after it. Taxonomy The only definitive species in this genus is ''C. granulatus'' from the Lopingian, late Permian (Wuchiapingian stage) Kupferschiefer of Germany and equivalent Marl Slate of England. The genus has long been used to group unrelated species of coelacanths, and several other species that were first referred to ''Coelacanthus'' were later reallocated to other genera. ''Coelacanthus minor'' was considered by Woodward (1891) as potentially belonging to the Triassic genus ''Heptanema'', while Martin and Wenz (1984) considered ''Coelacanthus lunzensis' ...
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West Indian Ocean Coelacanth
The West Indian Ocean coelacanth (''Latimeria chalumnae'') (sometimes known as gombessa, African coelacanth, or simply coelacanth) is a crossopterygian, one of two extant species of coelacanth, a rare order of vertebrates more closely related to lungfish and tetrapods than to the common ray-finned fishes. The other extant species is the Indonesian coelacanth (''L. menadoensis''). The West Indian Ocean coelacanth was historically known by fishermen around the Comoro Islands (where it is known as ''gombessa''), Madagascar, and Mozambique in the western Indian Ocean, but first scientifically recognised from a specimen collected in South Africa in 1938. This coelacanth was once thought to be evolutionarily conservative, but discoveries have shown initial morphological diversity. It has a vivid blue pigment, and is the better known of the two extant species. The species has been assessed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. Anatomy and physiology The average weight of ...
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Rebellatrix
''Rebellatrix divaricerca'' ("rebel coelacanth (with a) forked tail", after the unique tail fin) is a large prehistoric coelacanth from the Lower Triassic Sulphur Mountain formation and Wapiti Lake Provincial Park of British Columbia. It is the only known species of the family Rebellatricidae. ''R. divaricerca'''s most distinguishing feature was its tuna-like forked tail (unusual for an actinistian fish), which suggested a fast-swimming and active lifestyle, unlike coelacanths related to the living species. PRPRC 2006.10.001, the holotype specimen, is a nearly complete fossil, with the exception of some fins and a large amount of the skull, as well as an incomplete tail fin. Three other specimens reveal the rest of the tail. Most specimens at the Tumbler Ridge Museum in Tumbler Ridge, with one at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology. ''Rebellatrix'' may have reached in length. In addition to its uniquely forked (and symmetrical) tail fin, the posterior dorsal fin is be ...
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Rhabdodermatidae
Rhabdodermatidae is a family of prehistoric, coelacanthimorph, lobe-finned fishes which lived mainly during the Carboniferous period (about 359 - 299 million years ago), with some members surviving until the Early Triassic epoch (~250 myr Million years ago, abbreviated as Mya, Myr (megayear) or Ma (megaannum), is a unit of time equal to (i.e. years), or approximately 31.6 teraseconds. Usage Myr is in common use in fields such as Earth science and cosmology. Myr is also used w ... ago). References Prehistoric lobe-finned fish families Carboniferous first appearances Early Triassic extinctions Taxa described in 1958 {{paleo-lobefinned-fish-stub ...
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Coelacanthus Granulatus
''Coelacanthus'', from Ancient Greek κοῖλος (''koîlos''), meaning "hollow", and ἄκανθα (''ákantha''), meaning "spine", is a genus of extinct marine coelacanths known from the late Permian period. It was the first genus of coelacanths described, about a century before the discovery of the extant coelacanth ''Latimeria''. The order Coelacanthiformes is named after it. Taxonomy The only definitive species in this genus is ''C. granulatus'' from the late Permian (Wuchiapingian stage) Kupferschiefer of Germany and equivalent Marl Slate of England. The genus has long been used to group unrelated species of coelacanths, and several other species that were first referred to ''Coelacanthus'' were later reallocated to other genera. ''Coelacanthus minor'' was considered by Woodward (1891) as potentially belonging to the Triassic genus ''Heptanema'', while Martin and Wenz (1984) considered ''Coelacanthus lunzensis'' a possible synonym of '' Garnbergia''. ''Coelacanthus m ...
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Whiteiidae
Whiteiidae is an extinct family (biology), family of prehistoric coelacanth fishes which lived during the Triassic period. Torino, Soto, and Perea (2021) did not support this clade as it was not found to be Monophyly, monophyletic in their analysis, however, Ferrante and Cavin (2025) found the family to be a valid clade. References

Whiteiidae, Triassic bony fish Triassic first appearances Triassic extinctions Prehistoric lobe-finned fish families Fossil taxa described in 1993 {{paleo-lobefinned-fish-stub ...
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Evolution And Taxonomy
Evolution is the change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. It occurs when evolutionary processes such as natural selection and genetic drift act on genetic variation, resulting in certain characteristics becoming more or less common within a population over successive generations. The process of evolution has given rise to biodiversity at every level of biological organisation. The scientific theory of evolution by natural selection was conceived independently by two British naturalists, Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace, in the mid-19th century as an explanation for why organisms are adapted to their physical and biological environments. The theory was first set out in detail in Darwin's book ''On the Origin of Species''. Evolution by natural selection is established by observable facts about living organisms: (1) more offspring are often produced than can possibly survive; (2) traits vary among individuals with ...
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Lungfish
Lungfish are freshwater vertebrates belonging to the class Dipnoi. Lungfish are best known for retaining ancestral characteristics within the Osteichthyes, including the ability to breathe air, and ancestral structures within Sarcopterygii, including the presence of lobed fins with a well-developed internal skeleton. Lungfish represent the closest living relatives of the tetrapods (which includes living amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals). The mouths of lungfish typically bear tooth plates, which are used to crush hard shelled organisms. Today there are only six known species of lungfish, living in Africa, South America, and Australia, though they were formerly globally distributed. The fossil record of the group extends into the Early Devonian, over 410 million years ago. The earliest known members of the group were marine, while almost all post-Carboniferous representatives inhabit freshwater environments. Etymology Dipnoi is Modern Latin derived from the Greek δίπν ...
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