RECENT HISTORY
Updated 2024

Photo courtesy: Said Ahamada

An Illustrated Chronological Review

The Human Side of the Story:

Read down the list from past to present...

 


1938: The Coelacanth is "discovered" off South Africa.

1952: Coelacanths "discovered" to inhabit the Comoro Islands.

DOCUMENT Greatest Fish Story ever Told: "Discovery" of the Coelacanth (article)
IMAGE The story begins: Captain Goosen and the Nerine. (pictures)
IMAGE Courtenay-Latimer, "First" Coelacanth, I.D. sketch, Reward Poster (pictures)
IMAGE The 1938 "First coelacanth" today in the East London Museum, South Africa. (pictures)
IMAGE Courtenay-Latimer, JLB Smith, Eric Hunt, James Millot (pictures)
IMAGE Possessions of JLB Smith displayed at SAIAB- the former JLB Smith Institute in Grahamstown, South Africa. (picture)
IMAGE Ahamadi Abdallah accepting a reward for the discovery of the Comoran Coelacanths (picture)
IMAGE The 1952 "Second coelacanth" today at SAIAB- the former JLB Smith Institute in Grahamstown, South Africa. (picture)
IMAGE Comoran fisherman in dugout canoe (picture)
IMAGE Comoran fisherman with Coelacanth (picture)
IMAGE Three views of a Comorian Coelacanth (pictures)
IMAGE Looking into the mouth of an enormous female, caught June, 1989 in the Comoros(picture)
IMAGE

Coelacanth Gyotaku (ink impression)

 

1987: First films made of coelacanths at natural depth.

IMAGE

"Jago" research submersible and Fricke Dive Team (brief article, pictures, and video links)

IMAGE Diorama at SAIAB showing Jago observing coelacanths in a cave. (picture)
IMAGE Front page news: Coelacanth in the New York Times (picture)
DOCUMENT Jerome Hamlin's Submarine 'Descent to Cave 4'
(illustrated article)
IMAGE

Two Coelies at Cave 4!(picture)

 

1997: Coelacanths "discovered" in Indonesia.

DOCUMENT

"Discovery" of the Indonesian Coelacanths (article and YouTube account)

IMAGE

The Indonesian Coelacanth (picture)

 

2000: Coelacanths rediscovered living in South African waters.

DOCUMENT

Discovery of the "NEW" South African Coelacanths (article)

IMAGE Coelacanth on a South African submarine ledge (picture)
IMAGE

Video glimpse of a Coelacanth on a South African submarine ledge. (Courtesy: Stobbs/Venter)

 

1995-2003: Coelacanths discovered living off Madagascar and East Africa.

DOCUMENT

The Madagascar Coelacanths (article&picture)

DOCUMENT

Discovery of the Kenyan Coelacanth (article&picture)

DOCUMENT

The Curious Case of the Tanzania / Zanzibar Coelacanths (article and amazing pictures)

 

DOCUMENT

2009: Japanese locate and film first juvenile in natural habitat. (Indonesia)

The Fukushima Aquarium Expeditions


DOCUMENT

Phantoms of the Pacific- A New Home for coelacanths?

Dinofish.com undertakes 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2015 exploratory coelacanth reconnaissance expeditions to New Guinea and Solomon Islands- according to some scientists, the possible ancestral home of all coelacanths. These five expeditions constitute the foundations of coelacanth research in the Western Pacific.

 

Special Features:

 

IMAGE

A Brief Timeline of World and Coelacanth Events:

The Coelacanth Express

DOCUMENT Zoological Holy Grail : Expeditions in search of the Coelacanth (list)
DOCUMENT Scientific Turf Wars: The Coelacanth Controversies (article)
 
DOCUMENT

Coelacanth Poem: Instructions for Search

DOCUMENT

"Swimming in My Mind": Recollections of 30 years pursuing coelacanths around the World- Jerome Hamlin, creator of dinofish.com

   
 

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