Editing Coelacanth (section)

== Distribution and habitat ==
[[File:Latimeria distribution RUS.png|thumb|upright=1.3|Geographical distribution of coelacanth]]
The current coelacanth range is primarily along the eastern African coast, although ''Latimeria menadoensis'' was discovered off Indonesia. Coelacanths have been found in the waters of Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Madagascar, Comoros and Indonesia.<ref name="ref10" /> Most ''Latimeria chalumnae'' specimens that have been caught have been captured around the islands of Grande Comore and Anjouan in the Comoros Archipelago (Indian Ocean). Though there are cases of ''L.&nbsp;chalumnae'' caught elsewhere, amino acid sequencing has shown no big difference between these exceptions and those found around Comore and Anjouan. Even though these few may be considered strays, there are several reports of coelacanths being caught off the coast of Madagascar. This leads scientists to believe that the endemic range of ''Latimeria chalumnae'' coelacanths stretches along the eastern coast of Africa from the Comoros Islands, past the western coast of Madagascar to the South African coastline.<ref name="ref1" />{{rp|13, 32, 35}} Mitochondrial DNA sequencing of coelacanths caught off the coast of southern Tanzania suggests a divergence of the two populations some 200,000 years ago. This could refute the theory that the Comoros population is the main population while others represent recent offshoots.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = Genetically distinct coelacanth population off the northern Tanzanian coast|journal = Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences|date = 2011-11-01|pmc = 3207662|pmid = 22025696|pages = 18009–18013|volume = 108|issue = 44|doi = 10.1073/pnas.1115675108|first1 = Masato|last1 = Nikaido|first2 = Takeshi|last2 = Sasaki|first3 = J. J.|last3 = Emerson|first4 = Mitsuto|last4 = Aibara|first5 = Semvua I.|last5 = Mzighani|first6 = Yohana L.|last6 = Budeba|first7 = Benjamin P.|last7 = Ngatunga|first8 = Masamitsu|last8 = Iwata|first9 = Yoshitaka|last9 = Abe|bibcode = 2011PNAS..10818009N|doi-access = free}}</ref> A live specimen was seen and recorded on video in November 2019 at {{Cvt|69|m}} off the village of [[Umzumbe]] on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal, {{Cvt|325|km}} south of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. This is the farthest south since the original discovery, and the second shallowest record after {{Cvt|54|m}} in the [[Diepgat Canyon]]. These sightings suggest that they may live shallower than previously thought, at least at the southern end of their range, where colder, better-oxygenated water is available at shallower depths.<ref name="Fraser et al 2020" />

The geographical range of the Indonesia coelacanth, ''Latimeria menadoensis'', is believed to be off the coast of Manado Tua Island, [[Sulawesi]], Indonesia, in the [[Celebes Sea]].<ref name="ref3">{{cite journal |last1=Holder |first1=Mark T. |last2=Erdmann |first2=Mark V. |last3=Wilcox |first3=Thomas P. |last4=Caldwell |first4=Roy L. |last5=Hillis |first5=David M. |year=1999 |title=Two Living Species of Coelacanths? |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |volume=96 |issue=22 |pages=12616–20 |bibcode=1999PNAS...9612616H |doi=10.1073/pnas.96.22.12616 |jstor=49396 |pmc=23015 |pmid=10535971 |doi-access=free}}</ref> Key components confining coelacanths to these areas are food and temperature restrictions, as well as ecological requirements such as caves and crevices that are well-suited for drift feeding.<ref name="ref11">{{cite journal |bibcode=1988NW.....75..149F |title=Habitat requirements of the living coelacanth ''Latimeria chalumnae'' at grande comore, Indian Ocean |last1=Fricke |first1=H. |last2=Plante |first2=R. |volume=75 |year=1988 |pages=149–51 |journal=Naturwissenschaften |doi=10.1007/BF00405310 |issue=3|s2cid=39620387 }}</ref> Teams of researchers using submersibles have recorded live sightings of the fish in the [[Celebes Sea|Sulawesi Sea]] as well as in the waters of [[Biak]] in [[Papua (province)|Papua]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://theconversation.com/hunting-for-living-fossils-in-indonesian-waters-34770 |title=Hunting for living fossils in Indonesian waters|date=30 March 2015 |author=Augy Syaihailatua |work=The Conversation}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=http://ir.nrf.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10907/374/Nulens_special_publication3.pdf?sequence=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180818213827/http://ir.nrf.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10907/374/Nulens_special_publication3.pdf?sequence=1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 August 2018 |title=An updated inventory of all known specimens of the coelacanth, Latimeria spp.|author1=Rik Nulens |author2=Lucy Scott |author3=Marc Herbin |journal=Smithiana |date= 22 September 2011|page=2 }}</ref>

[[Anjouan]] Island and the [[Grande Comore]] provide ideal underwater cave habitats for coelacanths. The islands' underwater volcanic slopes, steeply eroded and covered in sand, house a system of caves and crevices which allow coelacanths resting places during the daylight hours. These islands support a large [[benthic]] fish population that helps to sustain coelacanth populations.<ref name="ref11" /><ref name="ref12" />

During the daytime, coelacanths rest in caves anywhere from {{Convert|100 to 500|m|sp=us}} deep. Others migrate to deeper waters.<ref name="ref10" /><ref name="ref1" />{{rp|37}} The cooler waters (below {{Convert|120|m|sp=us|disp=or}}) reduce the coelacanths' metabolic costs. Drifting toward reefs and night feeding saves vital energy.<ref name="ref11" /> Resting in caves during the day also saves energy that otherwise would be expended to fight currents.<ref name="ref12">{{cite journal |doi=10.1007/BF02028843 |title=Coelacanth ''Latimeria chalumnae'' aggregates in caves: First observations on their resting habitat and social behavior |year=1991 |last1=Fricke |first1=Hans |last2=Schauer |first2=Jürgen |last3=Hissmann |first3=Karen |last4=Kasang |first4=Lutz |last5=Plante |first5=Raphael |journal=Environmental Biology of Fishes |volume=30 |issue=3 |pages=281–6|bibcode=1991EnvBF..30..281F |s2cid=35672220 }}</ref>
[[File:Coelacanth1.JPG|thumb|upright|''Latimeria chalumnae'' model in the [[Oxford University Museum of Natural History]], showing the coloration in life]]