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The coelacanth is a fish that lives at great depths.
It is considered a “living fossil” capable of living several years longer than previously believed.
According to a new study, coelacanth not only does he live in his twenties, as was previously thought, but several more decades, even until a century.
French scientists studied the marks on the scales of coelacanths found in museums, using a technique similar to that of studying tree rings that indicate their age.
They determined that the fish reproduce at an advanced age and that females can be pregnant for up to five years.
He’s kind of increase slow down, which has few young people and is particularly vulnerable to extinction factors such as climate change and overfishing.
For the latter, knowing more about the coelacanth could help apply stronger protection and conservation measures, explains Dr Bruno Ernande, of the University of Montpellier, France.
“A very important framework for conservation measures is to be able to assess the demographics of the species,” he told the BBC.
“With this new information, we will be in a better position to assess it”, explains the expert, whose study was published in the journal Current biology.
A “living fossil”
The coelacanth was long thought to be extinct, until it appeared in a fisherman’s net in South Africa in 1938.
Two populations were later discovered living off the eastern coast of Africa and another off the coast of Sulawesi in Indonesia.
Image source, Getty Images
Coelacanths are found around the coast of Indonesia and in the Indian Ocean.
The African population is considered critically endangered and there may only be a few hundred individuals left.
“The coelacanth appears to have one of the slowest, if not the longest, life cycles among marine fish, close to that of deep-sea sharks and orange roughy,” said Kélig Mahé of the Unit. North Sea fishery research in Boulogne-sur-mer, France.
“Our results suggest that they may even be more threatened than expected due to their particular life cycle. Therefore, these new data on the biology and life history of coelacanths are essential for the conservation and management of this species. “
The ancestors of the coelacanth evolved 420 million years ago, surviving the movement of continents and the impact of the asteroid that may have wiped out the dinosaurs.
Living in caves at the bottom of the ocean, coelacanths can grow up to 1.8 meters and weigh over 90 kg.
In future studies, scientists plan to conduct further analysis to find out whether the slow growth rate of the coelacanth is related to sea temperatures.
The answer will offer some idea of the effects of climate change on this vulnerable species.
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