How does the coelacanth breathe?

Answer 1

I am assuming you are asking how these "living fossils" survived from the time of the dinosaurs, as that's the most common question I've heard about the coelacanth. However, neither of the extant (living) coelacanth species today, Latimeria chalumnae and Latimeria menadoensis, were living 400 million years ago. They weren't even living 80 million years ago. Neither of the two living coelacanth species appear in the Earth's fossil record at all, indicating that they are newer members of the Coelacanthidae family. The term "living fossil" that is often used to describe them is rather misleading and scientifically incorrect, both species may look quite similar to their ancestral forms but they have functionally and genetically evolved quite a lot. It is quite likely that this family of fish continues to exist simply because by having such a low diversity they do not support more rapidly evolving predators, their generalist feeding mode has allowed them a steady source of food, and they occupy very small and limited niches so successfully that they out compete more "modern" species that have evolved after them.

If you are asking how it is that they survived while scientists actually thought them to be extinct, well coelacanth were no longer seen in the fossil record or the oceans. You have to go farther back in the fossil record than 80 million years to find their fossils, so it was assumed they went extinct around that time. Their low diversity and isolated geographical habitats assured that they were not observed by humans, so there was no reason to assume they still existed.

Answer 2

Coelacanths eat whatever they find as they drift in the current. Because they can lift the upper jaw as well as move the lower jaw, coelacanths can open their mouths quite far to suck prey from crevices

Answer 3

they eat fish, squid, or whatever they can find as they drift

Answer 4

The Coelacanth was born 300 million years ago ; The time of the dinosaurs! Coelacanths were due to extintion in year 1938, when the first coelacanths were caught. Luckly, they're still alive.

Answer 5

Nobody is absolutely sure but some scientific studies indicate that age at first maturity is around 24/25 years and life expectancy is at least 60 years!

Answer 6

through its gills