‘Dinosaur Fish’ Once Thought Extinct 70 Million Years Ago Spotted in Indonesian Archipelago

Greek Reporter ^ | April 30, 2025 | Nisha Zahid

[nickcarraway]

I think it was on Netflix.

[telescope115]

No. I think it was in the 1930s when an archaeologist discovered that native people were catching and eating them. Someone had brought him one, and he was shocked to see it.

[Getready]

Supposed to be not tasteful. Greasy.

[itsahoot]

I think it’s just a matter of time before we find living dinosaurs in Africa.

We have some in the Senate Kleon.

[CommerceComet]

With their long life spans, slow growth, and late maturity, coelacanths are highly sensitive to environmental changes.

I would think that being around for 70 million years suggests otherwise.

[dfwgator]

Life finds a way.

[Magnum44]

[mass55th]

Back in 2021, I ordered the book "A Fish Caught in Time : The Search for the Coelacanth" by Samantha Weinberg. It was originally published in 2000. It gives a detailed history of the fish being discovered in 1938 in a South African fish market by the female curator of the local museum, and the research that went on afterward, and the attempts at catching a live coelacanth, and keeping it alive.

They've been filmed off the coast of South Africa:

National Geographic: Finding the Coelacanth | DinoFish

There's an ad before the video.

[mass55th]

I was aware of the discovery in 1938 off the coast of South Africa, and am delighted to find out that they’ve found them off the coast of Indonesia too.

[mass55th]

"Wonder what it would taste like deep fried? With Beer Batter"

Natives in South Africa who cooked and ate it said it had a very bad taste.

From 2012: What is it like to dine on a prehistoric beast?

[mass55th]

"Who documented its existence 70 million years ago? Was it transcribed on a stone?"

Fossils imbedded in stone.

[mass55th]

It was the female curator Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer of the local museum in South Africa:

In the 1930s, This Natural History Curator Discovered a Living Fossil–Well, Sort of

[itsahoot]

I can’t hink of a single animal that has become extinct in my near 60 years on this rock.

Would it affect your life if a few dozen did go extinct? Maybe if it was Beef and they want to eliminate that to protect what?

[telescope115]

Thanks for the info, much appreciated.🙂

[mass55th]

You’re very welcome.

[SunkenCiv]

[Red Badger]

[BlueLancer]

One of the first books that I actually purchased for myself was the SRA book, "Search for a Living Fossil", about the 1938 discovery of the coelacanth off Africa. I still have the paperback book that I purchased back in 1963 ... and it's still interesting to read.