{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "coelacanth",
  "name": "Coelacanth",
  "scientificName": "Latimeria chalumnae",
  "category": "Fish",
  "summary": "The coelacanth (Latimeria chalumnae) is a lobe-finned \"living fossil\" fish of deep rocky reefs off the Comoro Islands and South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal coast. Adults weigh around 80 kg, hunt smaller fish and squid at night, and are Critically Endangered because of tiny, slow-breeding populations.",
  "conservationStatus": "Critically Endangered",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Actinopterygii",
    "order": "Coelacanthiformes",
    "family": "Latimeriidae",
    "genus": "Latimeria"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 80,
    "lengthM": 1.8,
    "topSpeedKmh": 10,
    "lifespanYears": 60
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Latimeria chalumnae"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Carnivore"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Deep rocky reefs and submarine caves"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "Around 60 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "About 80 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to roughly 10 km/h when moving at speed."
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Critically Endangered (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Deep waters off the Comoro Islands and South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal coast.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/coelacanth/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/coelacanth/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}