Fossil coelacanthid

Coelacanths belong to the so-called lobe-finned fish (Sarcoperygii). They first occurred during the Devonian, approx. 410 million years ago, and were widely distributed throughout the shallow oceans at that time. Simple lungs allowed them to breathe air, and their muscular fins were supported by bones. The body type of the coelacanth Eusthenopteron suggests that the first amphibians developed from among its relatives.