"Resurrected from Extinction: The Remarkable Centenarian West Indian Ocean Coelacanth"
The West Indian Ocean coelacanth, a Lazarus species once thought to be extinct for over 65 million years, was rediscovered off the coast of South Africa in 1938. These ancient bony fish can grow up to 6.5 feet long, weigh up to 198 pounds, and live for up to 100 years. They have slow metabolism, low oxygen absorption, and a unique skeleton that allows them to hunt while doing a headstand. Coelacanths reach sexual maturity late, with males breeding from age 40 and females from age 58, and have the longest gestation period of any known vertebrate, lasting five years.
