Coelacanth Discovery and Characteristics

In 1938, a fishing boat captain in South Africa made a surprising discovery when his friend found a unique fish among his catch. This fish, a coelacanth, was thought to have been extinct for 65 million years. Scientists were amazed by its unique way of moving through the water, using its fins in a paddling motion, which suggested it might be an ancestor of the first vertebrates to transition from water to land.

What year did the fishing boat captain make his surprising discovery?

• 1965

• 1938

• 1945

• 1950

What was unusual about the fish's appearance?

• It was bright blue with four limb-like fins

• It had wings

• It was covered in scales

• It had a long tail

What was the fish eventually identified as?

• A new species

• A shark

• A coelacanth

• A dinosaur

How did scientists initially react to the discovery of the fish?

• They were indifferent

• They were shocked

• They were disappointed

• They were confused

How long was the coelacanth thought to be extinct before its rediscovery?

• 100 million years

• 10 million years

• 25 million years

• 65 million years

What is unique about the coelacanth's way of moving?

• It hops on land

• It flies through the air

• It uses its tail like a propeller

• It paddles with its front and back fins

What do some scientists speculate about the coelacanth?

• It is the ancestor of modern birds

• It is the ancestor of the first land vertebrates

• It is a direct descendant of dinosaurs

• It is unrelated to any modern species