Coelacanth

Last: #101 - Goliath Tigerfish

Current: #102 - Coelacanth

Next: #103 - Sleeper Shark

The Coelacanth is an Exotic Fish that can be caught in DREDGE.

The Coelacanth must be caught as part of the Recording Rarities Pursuit given by the Travelling Merchant.

The Coelacanth can only be found in one location. Its fishing spot is located within Devil's Spine at Q12, behind some debris that can be destroyed with Packed Explosives. Once the singular fish has been caught, the fishing spot will never be replenished unless an Exotic Bait is used in the same area.

Pursuits

• Used in Recording Rarities.

Real-Life Counterpart

• The coelacanth is a rare and ancient fish belonging to the order Latimeria, with its most well-known species, Latimeria chalumnae, discovered off the coast of South Africa in 1938. Coelacanths are characterized by their distinctive lobed pectoral and pelvic fins, which resemble the limbs of terrestrial vertebrates, suggesting an evolutionary link between fish and early land-dwelling creatures. These fish can reach lengths of up to 2 meters (6.5 feet) and weigh around 90 kilograms (200 pounds). Coelacanths inhabit deep underwater caves and rocky environments at depths of 150 to 250 meters (490 to 820 feet), making them elusive and rarely observed by humans. Their diet consists mainly of fish and cephalopods, which they capture using their unique feeding mechanism that allows for rapid suction. Once thought to be extinct for over 66 million years, coelacanths are classified as vulnerable by the IUCN due to their limited distribution and specific habitat requirements. Conservation efforts are essential to protect this living fossil and its marine environment, highlighting the importance of preserving the biodiversity of our oceans.

Trivia

• The Coelacanth was the last non-aberration in the encyclopedia before The Pale Reach DLC was released.
• Coelacanth were thought to be extinct before they were discovered to have living specimens off the coast of South Africa in 1948.