New quest to study 'living fossil' coelacanth

ПОДЕЛИТЬСЯ

New quest to study 'living fossil' coelacanth ©REUTERS

French and South African biologists will dive to deep-sea caves in the Indian Ocean next month in a bid to locate the coelacanth, the "living fossil" fish whose history predates the dinosaurs, AFP reports according to the France's National Museum of Natural History. The "Gombessa" expedition, named after a local term for the coelacanth, will run from April 5 to May 15, exploring locations in the Jesser Canyon, 120 metres (390 feet) below the waters of Sodwana Bay, where the strange fish is believed to live. A fossilised skull described last April by Chinese paleontologists dates the first coelacanths to 375 million years ago. They were thought to have died out around 65 million years ago until one was caught off South Africa in 1938. The grey-brown fish can grow up to two metres (6.5 feet) in length and weigh as much as 91 kilos (200 pounds). But almost nothing is known about how it lives -- its habitat, food and reproduction.

ПОДЕЛИТЬСЯ
French and South African biologists will dive to deep-sea caves in the Indian Ocean next month in a bid to locate the coelacanth, the "living fossil" fish whose history predates the dinosaurs, AFP reports according to the France's National Museum of Natural History. The "Gombessa" expedition, named after a local term for the coelacanth, will run from April 5 to May 15, exploring locations in the Jesser Canyon, 120 metres (390 feet) below the waters of Sodwana Bay, where the strange fish is believed to live. A fossilised skull described last April by Chinese paleontologists dates the first coelacanths to 375 million years ago. They were thought to have died out around 65 million years ago until one was caught off South Africa in 1938. The grey-brown fish can grow up to two metres (6.5 feet) in length and weigh as much as 91 kilos (200 pounds). But almost nothing is known about how it lives -- its habitat, food and reproduction.
Tengrinews
Читайте также
Join Telegram
Tokayev sends telegram to Emir of Qatar
New Year trees lit up in Almaty
Kazakhstan and Japan sign 14 documents
Kazakhstan celebrates Independence Day
Dollar resumes slide in Kazakhstan
Astana Airport has addressed passengers
Interior Ministry warns Kazakhstanis

Exchange Rates

 515.16  course up  604.47  course up  6.52  course up

 

Weather

location-current
Алматы

 

Редакция Advertising
Социальные сети