Amazing stuff! The wonders of marine life!
"... “[The] coelacanth appears to have one of, if not the slowest, life histories among marine fish, and close to those of deep-sea sharks and roughies,” ...
As part of their study, the team members analyzed the scales of embryos and estimated that they were around five years old, indicating “that the gestation duration is at least 5 years contrary to the 1 to 2 years suggested by earlier studies,” ..."
As part of their study, the team members analyzed the scales of embryos and estimated that they were around five years old, indicating “that the gestation duration is at least 5 years contrary to the 1 to 2 years suggested by earlier studies,” ..."
"The extant coelacanth was discovered in 1938; its biology and ecology remain poorly known due to the low number of specimens collected. Only two previous studies have attempted to determine its age and growth. They suggested a maximum lifespan of 20 years, placing the coelacanth among the fastest growing marine fish. These findings are at odds with the coelacanth’s other known biological features including low oxygen-extraction capacity, slow metabolism, ovoviviparity, and low fecundity, typical of fish with slow life histories and slow growth. In this study, we use polarized light microscopy to study growth on scales based on a large sample of 27 specimens. Our results demonstrate for the first time nearly imperceptible annual calcified structures (circuli) on the scales and show that maximal age of the coelacanth was underestimated by a factor of 5. ..."
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