At a glance
- IUCN category
- VU · Vulnerable
- Animal group
- Fish
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The Indonesian coelacanth is a 'living fossil' fish, the second coelacanth species, discovered off Indonesia in the late 1990s. It is assessed as Vulnerable.
Like the African coelacanth it has fleshy, limb-like fins.
Range & habitat
Deep waters off Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Accidental capture in deep fishing gear
- A very small, slow-breeding population
Why it matters
A second living coelacanth, a window onto deep evolutionary history, the Indonesian coelacanth is a scientific treasure with a tiny, vulnerable population.
Sources
Sources for Indonesian Coelacanth
- IUCN Red List — look up Indonesian Coelacanth (authoritative status)
- FishBase
Frequently Asked Questions
How many coelacanth species are there?
Two: the well-known African coelacanth and the Indonesian coelacanth, the latter discovered off Sulawesi in the late 1990s — both 'living fossils' from a lineage once thought long extinct.
Why is the Indonesian coelacanth Vulnerable?
Published assessments cite accidental capture in deep fishing gear and a very small, slow-breeding population. See the IUCN Red List.
Last updated: