The fishes collection in the Yale Peabody Museum's Division of Vertebrate Zoology includes 2 specimens of Latimeria, the coelcanth.
In
the study of the natural history of fish, certain groups of fishes are
of particular interest because they have remained virtually unchanged
for millions of years and serve as living fossils, bridging the gap
between fish and tetrapods. The exact relationship of many of these
fish to the rest of the vertebrate family tree is debated, and often
confusing. Some seem to be more closely related to amphibians than to
other fish. Additionally, many have no close living relatives, so their
placement within the tree of life is particularly difficult. Studies
conducted at the Yale Peabody Museum by investigators, including Keith
Stuart Thompson, have improved the understanding of the biology and
evolutionary history of these unique fishes.
The
evolutionary history of tetrapods (four-limbed) vertebrates includes
critical stages and links between aquatic species and terrestrial
species. Among the major species groups that may represent the junction
between aquatic and terrestrial vertebrate life are the lungfish and
the coelacanths.
Before the 1930s the coelacanth was known only from fossil specimens
and was thought to be extinct. Its rediscovery in the Indian Ocean
allowed for many significant studies of vertebrate evolution to occur.
The Yale Peabody Museum has 2 specimens of coelacanth (Latimeria chalumnae),
collected from the Comoro Islands. One of them was of major importance
to our understanding of this group of fish as it was probably the first
available to researchers in the United States as an unpreserved specimen
The Yale Peabody Museum's collections are available to legitimate
researchers for scholarly use. Loans are issued to responsible
individuals at established institutions. Loans and access to the
collection can be arranged through the Collections Manager.
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