latimeria
(lætɪˈmɪərɪə)
[mod.L. (J. L. B. Smith 1939, in Nature 18 Mar. 456/2), f. name of Marjorie E. D. Courtenay-Latimer (b. 1907), director of the East London Museum at the time of the discovery + -ia1.]
A large marine fish of the genus so called, the only living representative of the order of crossopterygian fishes Actinistia, which was discovered in deep water off the south-east coast of Africa in 1938; = cœlacanth.
| 1940 Nature 13 July 53/1 The exceptionally oily nature of Latimeria..is interesting geologically. 1953 J. S. Huxley Evolution in Action v. 128 Latimeria is the name of a rather primitive kind of fish, more nearly related to lung-fish than to modern Teleosts, one single specimen of which was recently brought up alive by a fishing vessel off the coast of South Africa. 1956 J. L. B. Smith Old Fourlegs: Story of Coelacanth 236 All [cœlacanths] have been large fishes..with fins like Latimeria. 1968 A. S. Romer Procession of Life viii. 166 (caption) Latimeria, about five feet long, is the last surviving coelacanth. |