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Incredible New Photographs of Live Coelacanths
zapyon writes "German magazine Spiegel Online has just put some incredible photographs of coelacanths on their site. The article is pointing to the current German edition of National Geographic."
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Just wondering why this is news. Coelacanths were discovered to still be living in ~1938. Having photos isn't new, as they had live specimens (and dead ones). There were even 2 species found, not just one.
We were all warned a long time ago that MS products sucked, remember the Magic 8 Ball said, "Outlook not so good"
I'll be honest; the first thing that popped into my head was trilobites. To me, it was a very interesting news day for about 1.8 seconds.
Human beings, however, might enjoy simple ape-like wonderment gazing at some modern high quality images of a fish-o-saurus that's said "Fuck you, that's why" to evolution for 65 million years.
If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
GET OFF MY LAWN.
Coelacanths on your lawn?
GET OFF MY LAWN.
Coelacanths on your lawn?
He should turn down his sprinkler.
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
I've always wondered how Coelacanth survived for so long. Everything about it is primitive. It has a slow metabolism (or at least the ability to make it slow) and more or less rides the currents to its feeding grounds and back. Very different from the high energy, small, modern fish.
As a species, it has basically been in a evolutionary standstill for 400 million years, and current populations have low genetic diversity (which may be a hint as to why).
My best guess is that some mechanism to not mutate much, flesh that isn't good food for many animals (gives humans upset tummies), a robust way of obtaining food (eating anything), and good energy conservation have probably contributed to its durability as a species. But I would think that lots of species have had these attributes, long ago.
It's habits and characteristics are remarkably similar to another living fossil, the Nautilus.
while(1) attack(People.Sandy);
Looks like something a friend had in his aquarium.
they are becoming more prevalent because of the globally warm oceans. OTOH maybe humans are just finding more places to exploit mother Earth.
Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
That's no Coelacanth it's a Quastenflosser!
If you'd actually bother to read on how evolution works (starting with the fact that it doesn't have a well-defined goal), you wouldn't be asking such silly questions. You might as well ask things like, "if land animals have evolved from fish, why do we still have fish around?".
(Hint: if you think that evolution means that "humans have evolved from apes", then you don't understand what it's actually about)
can't be these types a fish they are said to live at such a low depth that to be that close as some of the photos show they literally blow apart due to the fact there isn't the sea pressure
They surface and explode, the terrorists.
This is not just a neat fish. You are literally looking at a very distant relative of yourself. A number of bones in the fins of these fishes exhibit homology to the bones in your arms and legs.
Went to the site, looked at the pics and holy cow !
If you go to wet markets in sea-side towns on the Borneo Islands you can see they sell this type of fish there !
Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
Does anyone else appreciate the irony of a fossil fish being presented on what appears to be a fossil web page?
I like coelacanths, and this shouldn't have been on /.
Well, the first half of the byline is "News for Nerds." We may be IT-heavy here, but other sciences do show up from time to time.
My sister opened a computer store in Hawaii. She sells C shells by the seashore.
A number of bones in the fins of these fishes exhibit homology to the bones in your arms and legs.
According to the US Senate, Jesus put them there.
You are literally looking at a very distant relative of yourself.
Only more charismatic than most of your other relatives.
Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.