coelacanth
/'si:ləkænθ/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A type of fish: A large, deep-sea fish with lobe-shaped fins, once thought to have been extinct for millions of years but rediscovered alive in the 20th century.
Usage
The word "coelacanth" is used to refer specifically to this rare and ancient species of fish. It is a scientific and zoological term.
Examples
- The discovery of a living coelacanth in 1938 was a major zoological surprise.
- Coelacanths are sometimes called "living fossils" because they have changed very little over millions of years.
- Scientists study the coelacanth to learn about the evolution of fish into land animals.
Advanced Usage
- "A living coelacanth": This phrase emphasizes the surprising fact that the species, believed extinct, is still alive.
- Finding a living coelacanth was like finding a dinosaur.
- Used metaphorically to describe something very old or outdated that unexpectedly reappears.
- That policy is a political coelacanth, a relic from a bygone era.
Variants and Related Words
- Latimeria (n): The scientific genus name for the two known living species of coelacanth ( and ).
- Lobe-finned fish (n): The broader biological group (class Sarcopterygii) to which coelacanths belong, characterized by fleshy, limb-like fins.
Synonyms
- Living fossil (n): An informal term for any extant species that closely resembles species known only from fossils. (Note: This is a descriptive synonym, not a scientific name.)
Related Phrases and Terms
- "Coelacanth population": Refers to the groups of these fish found in specific locations.
- The Comoros Islands are home to a known coelacanth population.
- "Coelacanth specimen": Refers to an individual fish used for scientific study.
- The museum acquired a preserved coelacanth specimen.
Noun
- fish thought to have been extinct since the Cretaceous period but found in 1938 off the coast of Africa