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“Ancient Coelacanth Caught in Indonesia”

And you thought Jimmy Carter was a dust-burping relic:

An Indonesian fisherman hooked a rare coelacanth, a species once thought as extinct as dinosaurs, and briefly kept the “living fossil” alive in a quarantined pool.

Justinus Lahama caught the four-foot, 110-pound fish early Saturday off Sulawesi island near Bunaken National Marine Park […].

The fish died 17 hours later, an extraordinary survival time, marine biologist Lucky Lumingas said Sunday.

“The fish should have died within two hours because this species only lives in deep, cold-sea environment,” he said. […]

The coelacanth […] was believed to be extinct for 65 million years until one was found in 1938 off Africa’s coast, igniting worldwide interest. Several other specimens have since been discovered, including another off Sulawesi island in 1998.

The powerful predator is highly mobile with limb-like fins, and it gives birth to live young rather than laying eggs.

Not a great omen for those of us hoping that the prospects of a Hillary presidency went extinct with the first “universal health care” debacle.

I guess there’s something to be said for thick heavy land fins and a predatory nature.  Evolutionarily speaking, I mean.

22 Replies to ““Ancient Coelacanth Caught in Indonesia””

  1. N. O'Brain says:

    dust-burping relic

    Dude, that is like so stolen.

  2. FabioC. says:

    It would make a great, historical stir-fry with ginger, garlic, and vegs. Serve with stemed rice and plenty of chilli sauce. It’s still tame compared to what passes as food in the Philippines.

    And I just had dinner.

  3. happyfeet says:

    They are prettier that I thought, or at least some are.

    Not good for stir-fry though:

    Coelacanths are also mucilaginous; their scales release mucus and their bodies continually exude oil. This oil is a laxative, and makes the fish virtually inedible unless dried and salted.

  4. FabioC. says:

    Ah no worries, Indonesians are fond of dried & salted fish too.

  5. Jeff Goldstein says:

    Can we now finally admit that Nessy is REAL?

    FOR THE LOVE OF SCIENCE!

  6. happyfeet says:

    loch truthiness?

  7. Rob B. says:

    A story from my bio professor:

    They used to point to these in the fossil record and decry that mankind had killed them until a biologist came across some in Indonesian fish market. He asked the fisherman if he knew that he had probably killed the last of this rare dying breed. The fisherman laughed and said that it was news to him and everybody that had been eating them for years. Especially since they are catching a shitload of them over there. Of course, he said it sounded better because the whole converstaion was had in Malay.

  8. FabioC. says:

    Or Bahasa Indonesia? Which is anyway very close to Malay; sorta like Italian and Spanish.

    Yes, I like to show off my wide culture; why do you ask?

  9. kelly says:

    Corpulent “documentary” filmakers from Flint, Michigan are also mucilaginous; their scales release mucus and their bodies continually exude oil.

    There.

    Wikipedia can kiss my ass.

  10. I was gonna say they were good eatin’ but then I rembered the day I had the Coelacanth salad with crab at TGI Fridays.  Worst job interview ever.  And a hell of a long ride home.

  11. mojo says:

    “Ancient” Coelacanth?

    Just how old was this specimen?

  12. McGehee says:

    …and anyway, if the fish is burping dust underwater, doesn’t that make it a mud-burping relic?

    And isn’t that just the most disgusting thought?

  13. Cythen says:

    Man, and you *KNOW* that would have made some bitchin’ sushi…

  14. thor says:

    Just what kind’a species is wearing that funny hat?

    I thought they went extinct in ‘Nam.

  15. I guess there’s something to be said for thick heavy land fins and a predatory nature.  Evolutionarily speaking, I mean.

    And if you’re Hillary, a beeping sound when you back up.

  16. Slartibartfast says:

    Coelecanth are disgusting?  Only in a world where one can ignore the existence of the slime eel.

  17. Toby Petzold says:

    I love me a coelacanth! I love the whole idea of the coelacanth!

    Long live weird shit that you can’t quite explain. And with the live births? Get outta here!

  18. furriskey says:

    if you’re Hillary, a beeping sound when you back up.

    Does she do that too?

    Intriguing woman.

  19. Dan Collins says:

    He must have been there to pick up some kind of prize money.

  20. McGehee says:

    Ah, but the disgusting thought to which I referred wasn’t the coelacanth—it was the burping mud.

    Admit it—you do think that’s pretty disgusting.

    hmmm

    Don’t you?

  21. Seixon says:

    And I thought global warming was going to kill off all the aminals on the Earth! Looks like coelacanth is doing just fine. Except for being murdered by bastard Indonesian fishermen. Have they no shame??

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