Prehistoric Fish Found Again In Indonesia

September 16, 2009

Release from: People's Daily Online (China)

A research team from Indonesia's Sam Ratulangi University, Indonesian Science Institution and Fukushima Aquamarine Japan on Monday once again found prehistoric fish called coelacanth at Talise waters of North Minahasa in 155 meter-depth.

The fish was found during the first hour of the researchers' first day by a remotely operated vehicle (ROV).

"The finding is very surprising. The fish was found live and free swimming in its habitat," said Prof Alex Masengi, the Sam Ratulangi University's dean of fishery and marine science faculty.

On June 27, 2007, the same team found a coelacanth fish at Malalayang waters of North Sulawesi's Manado Bay in 190 meter-depth.

The second finding location in Talise is about 120 kilometer north of the first one.

The coelacanth fishes' habitat is in depth of more than 180 meter with maximum temperature of 18 celcius degree inside underwater volcanic concaves.

The fishes only live in western South Africa waters and eastern Indonesian waters, called Latimeria chalumnae and Latimeria menadoensis, respectively.

The new species identification from Manado in 1999 surprised the world because since 1940 it had been recognized only one coelacanth species from western Madagascar.

The coelacanth is categorized as prehistoric fish and living fossil because it has been allegedly living since Devonian era of 380 million years ago.