Coelacanth Fish, NMNH

ID: SIA2009-2196 and 44746

Creator: Unknown

Form/Genre: Photographic print

Date: 1957

Citation: Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Box 44, Folder: 6

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Summary

  • A a coelacanth, Latimeria chalumnae Smitha, or living fossil fish on display in the Untied States National Museum. The fish is situated on supports and explanatory text can be seen behind the specimen.
  • On August 20, 1957, a coelacanth, Latimeria chalumnae Smitha, living fossil fish, is put on exhibit in the foyer of United States National Museum, now known as the National Museum of Natural History. This male fish was caught off the Comoro Islands, near the Island of Madagascar. It was believed that the coelacanth was extinct until 1938 when the first live one was caught off South Africa. Before that time the fish was only known from ancient fossil remains.

Subject

National Museum of Natural History (U.S.)

Category

Historic Images of the Smithsonian

Contained within

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Box 44, Folder: 6

Contact information

Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Institution Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu

Date

1957

Restrictions & Rights

No restrictions

Topic

  • Living fossils
  • Coelacanth
  • Fishes
  • Exhibitions
  • Fossils
  • United States National Museum

Place

Madagascar

Form/Genre

  • Photographic print
  • Exhibit

ID Number

SIA2009-2196 and 44746

Physical description

Color: Black and White; Size: 10w x 8h; Type of Image: Exhibit; Medium: Photographic print

Full Record

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