Coelacanth population

[ewurm]

has anyone seen an estimate of how many coelacanths are left in the world?

 

[ewurm]

Does no one know the answer? Help me, I'm caught in a cyber vortex! I can't get out! I thought I saw a coelacanth in my neighbor's swimming pool, but it was just their ugly daughter.

 

[sandtiger]

Your neighbor's daughter is swimming in Febuary?

I really don't think there is an answer to your question. Few have been seen alive, even dead ones aren't very common...not really much to work with when trying to figure out population estimates.

 

[hardb0iled]

There a few known populations but I am not sure they have an accurate estimate of how many there are?

Try looking through this site:

http://www.dinofish.com/

 

[PhoMan]

I believe there are none left.... extinct!

 

[DiXoN]

moved to salt.

as for an answer to your question noone knows they only refurfaced recently

 

[sandtiger]

I believe there are none left.... extinct!

Why would you say that?

 

[magic]

Ive heard they think the populations are small. Just they live so deep they are hard to find.

 

[Zoodiver]

I would estimate less than 100 in the world. They were thought to be extinct, but every now and then one will show up again.

 

[guppy]

There are now two seperate species known, the original (Latimereia chalumnae) and the recently discovered Sulewesi species (Latimeria menadoensis). It is difficult to get an accurate count on these fish as recent observations from submersibles off South Africa show that during the day they hide in caves and stay close to rocky bottoms at night, this, together with their inactive feeding style makes it difficult to sample them by conventional means. The Comoran population is estimated at currently just under 1,000, the Indonesian population is unknown and only observered from 2 specimens, a pic is attatched of one (I think, it might be a South African pic that was used in the article about the Sulewesi one as an illustration). The South African population is more widespread than the Comoran one and is estimated to have a higher population density. As recently as 2003 another population was discovered off Tanzania in the Indian Ocean. It is a misconception that they are an abyssal fish, instead they are "twilight" dwellers, and are found between 100-400 meters in areas that net fishing is ineffective due to bottom structure.