Coelacanth (Noun)
Meaning
Fish thought to have been extinct since the Cretaceous period but found in 1938 off the coast of Africa.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The discovery of a coelacanth off the coast of South Africa in 1938 sent shockwaves through the scientific community, who had long believed the species to be extinct.
- Until the 1938 rediscovery of the coelacanth, the fish was known only through fossil records.
- The coelacanth's ability to survive in deep waters is likely a key factor in its ability to remain hidden for so long, only to be rediscovered in the 20th century.
- Prior to its rediscovery in 1938, the coelacanth was considered a relic of the Cretaceous period, a time when dinosaurs still roamed the earth.
- Marine biologists continue to study the coelacanth, which provides a unique window into the evolution of life on earth.