Basic info Taxonomic history Classification Included Taxa
Morphology Ecology and taphonomy External Literature Search Age range and collections

Coelacanthiformes (coelacanth)

Osteichthyes - Coelacanthiformes

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1937Coelacanthiformes Berg
1998Coelacanthiformes Forey p. 299
2002Coelocanthiformes Sepkoski
2004Coelacanthiformes Heckert p. 42
2004Coelacanthiformes Schultze p. 466
2011Coelacanthiformes Long p. 244
2012Coelacanthiformes Graf
2013Coelacanthiformes Betancur et al.
2015Coelacanthiformes Arratia p. 67
2016Coelacanthiformes Nelson et al. p. 104
2019Coelacanthiformes van der Laan p. 87

Is something missing? Join the Paleobiology Database and enter the data

RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
RankNameAuthor
superclassGnathostomata
classOsteichthyes
subclassSarcopterygii()
infraclassActinistia(Cope 1870)
orderCoelacanthiformesBerg 1937
orderCoelacanthiformesBerg 1937

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Or. Coelacanthiformes Berg 1937 [coelacanth]
show all | hide all
Fm. Coelacanthidae Agassiz 1843
+
G. †Alcoveria Beltan 1972
+
†Alcoveria brevis Beltan 1972
G. †Chaohuichthys Tong et al. 2006
+
†Chaohuichthys majiashanensis Tong et al. 2006
G. †Coelacanthus Agassiz 1839
+
†Coelacanthus dendrites Gardiner 1973
†Coelacanthus elegans Newberry 1856
+
Invalid names: Conchiopsis filiferus Cope 1873 [synonym]
†Coelacanthus elongatus Huxley 1866
†Coelacanthus evolutus Beltan 1980
†Coelacanthus exiguus Eastman 1902
†Coelacanthus gracilis Agassiz 1843
†Coelacanthus granulatus Agassiz 1839
+
Invalid names: Coelacanthus caudalis Egerton 1850 [synonym], Coelacanthus hassiae Münster 1842 [synonym]
†Coelacanthus lepturus Agassiz 1843
†Coelacanthus lunzensis Teller 1891
†Coelacanthus minor Agassiz 1843
†Coelacanthus munsteri Agassiz 1843
†Coelacanthus ornatus Newberry 1856
†Coelacanthus phillipsii Agassiz 1843
†Coelacanthus robustus Newberry 1856
†Coelacanthus welleri Eastman 1908
Invalid names: Conchiopsis Cope 1873 [synonym]
G. †Graphiurichthys White and Moy-Thomas 1937
+
Invalid names: Graphiurus Kner 1866 [replaced]
G. †Moenkopia Schaeffer and Gregory 1961
+
†Moenkopia wellesi Schaeffer and Gregory 1961
G. †Mylacanthus Stensiö 1921
+
†Mylacanthus lobatus Stensiö 1921
†Mylacanthus spinosus Stensiö 1921
G. †Peplorhina Cope 1873
+
†Peplorhina anthracina Cope 1873
G. †Quayia Hunt 1997
+
†Quayia zideki Hunt 1997
Subor. †Coelacanthoidei Berg 1937
+
G. †Dumfregia Lund and Lund 1985
+
†Dumfregia huxleyi Traquair 1881
G. †Cualabaea
G. †Dobrogeria Cavin and Grădinaru 2014
+
†Dobrogeria aegyssensis Cavin and Grădinaru 2014
G. †Holoptychus Agassiz 1843
Subor. †Latimerioidei Schultze 1993
+
Fm. †Dipluridae Graf 2012
+
G. †Reidus Graf 2012
+
†Reidus hilli Graf 2012
Fm. Latimeriidae Berg 1940
+
G. †Indocoelacanthus Jain 1974
+
Subfm. Latimeriinae Berg 1940
+
G. †Holophagus Egerton 1861
+
†Holophagus gulo Egerton 1861
†Holophagus picenus Costa 1862
Invalid names: Urocomus Costa 1862 [synonym]
G. Latimeria Smith 1939
+
Latimeria menadoensis Pouyaud et al. 1999 [Indonesian coelacanth]
G. †Libys Munster 1842
+
†Libys callolepis Ferrante et al. 2022
†Libys polypterus Munster 1842
†Libys superbus Zittel 1887
G. †Macropoma Agassiz 1833
+
†Macropoma egertoni Agassiz 1833
†Macropoma forte Fritsch 1878
†Macropoma mantelli Agassiz 1835
+
Invalid names: Amia lewesiensis Mantell 1822 [synonym]
†Macropoma precursor Woodward 1909
†Macropoma speciosum Reuss 1857
†Macropoma substriolatum Huxley 1866
†Macropoma willemoesii Vetter 1881
G. †Megalocoelacanthus Schwimmer et al. 1994
+
†Megalocoelacanthus dobiei Schwimmer et al. 1994
G. †Swenzia Clement 2006
+
†Swenzia latimerae Clement 2006
Invalid names: Wenzia Clement 2005 [replaced]
G. †Undina Munster 1834
+
†Undina acutidens Reis 1888
†Undina barroviensis Woodward 1890
†Undina cirinensis Thiollere 1854
†Undina grandis Eastman 1914
†Undina minuta Wagner 1863
†Undina penicillata Münster 1834
+
Invalid names: Coelacanthus striolaris Münster 1842 [synonym]
†Undina purbeckensis Woodward 1916
G. †Macropomoides Woodward 1942
+
†Macropomoides orientalis Woodward 1942
Subfm. †Ticinepomiinae Ferrante and Cavin 2023
+
G. †Foreyia Cavin et al. 2017
+
†Foreyia maxkuhni Cavin et al. 2017
G. †Rieppelia Ferrante and Cavin 2023
+
†Rieppelia heinzfurreri Ferrante and Cavin 2023
G. †Ticinepomis Rieppel 1980
+
†Ticinepomis ducanensis Ferrante et al. 2023
†Ticinepomis peyeri Rieppel 1980
Invalid names: Macropomidae Owen 1860 [synonym], Undinidae Whitley 1940 [synonym]
Fm. †Mawsoniidae Schultze 1993
+
G. †Axelrodichthys Maisey 1986
+
†Axelrodichthys lavocati Fragoso et al. 2018
+
Invalid names: Mawsonia lavocati Tabaste 1963 [replaced]
†Axelrodichthys maiseyi de Carvalho et al. 2013
†Axelrodichthys megadromos Cavin et al. 2016
G. †Changxingia Wang and Liu 1981
+
†Changxingia aspratilis Wang and Liu 1981
†Changxingia weii Jin 1997
G. †Chinlea Schaeffer 1967
+
†Chinlea sorenseni Schaeffer 1967
G. †Diplurus Newberry 1878
+
†Diplurus longicaudatus Newberry 1878
†Diplurus newarki Bryant 1934
Invalid names: Osteopleurus Schaeffer 1941 [synonym], Rabdiolepis Emmons 1857 [synonym]
G. †Garnbergia Martin and Wenz 1984
+
†Garnbergia ommata Martin and Wenz 1984
G. †Graulia Manuelli et al. 2024
+
†Graulia branchiodonta Manuelli et al. 2024
G. †Lualabaea Saint-Seine 1955
+
†Lualabaea henryi Saint-Seine 1955
†Lualabaea lerichei Saint-Seine 1955
G. †Mawsonia Mawson and Woodward 1907
+
†Mawsonia brasiliensis Yabumoto 2002
†Mawsonia gigas Mawson and Woodward 1907
†Mawsonia libyca Weiler 1935
†Mawsonia minor Woodward 1908
†Mawsonia soba Brito et al. 2018
†Mawsonia tegamensis Wenz 1975
†Mawsonia ubangiensis Casier 1961
G. †Parnaibaia Yabumoto 2007
+
†Parnaibaia maranhaoensis Yabumoto 2007
G. †Rhipis Saint-Seine 1950
+
†Rhipis moorseli de Saint-Seine 1950
†Rhipis tuberculatus Casier 1965
G. †Trachymetopon Hennig 1951
+
†Trachymetopon liassicum Hennig 1951
Invalid names: Dipleurinae Maisey 1991 [invalid subgroup]
Invalid names: Palaeoctopus pelagicus Fuchs et al. 2008 [nomen dubium]
G. †Lochmocercus Lund and Lund 1984
+
†Lochmocercus aciculodontus Lund and Lund 1984
G. †Luopingcoelacanthus Wen et al. 2013
+
G. †Sinocoelacanthus Liu 1964
+
Fm. †Whiteiidae Schultze 1993
+
G. †Atacamaia Arratia and Schultze 2015
+
†Atacamaia solitaria Arratia and Schultze 2015
G. †Axelia Stensiö 1921
+
†Axelia elegans Stensiö 1921
†Axelia robusta Stensiö 1921
G. †Piveteauia Lehman 1952
+
G. †Whiteia Moy-Thomas 1935
+
†Whiteia africanus Broom 1905
†Whiteia anniae Xu et al. 2025
†Whiteia durabilis Wendruff 2011
†Whiteia giganteus Brownstein 2023
†Whiteia lepta Wendruff 2011
†Whiteia nielseni Forey 1998
†Whiteia oishii Yabumoto and Brito 2016
†Whiteia tuberculata Moy-Thomas 1935
†Whiteia uyenoteruyai Yabumoto et al. 2019
†Whiteia woodwardi Moy-Thomas 1935
G. †Wimania Stensio 1921
+
†Wimania multistriata Stensiö 1921
†Wimania sinuosa Stensiö 1921
Invalid names: Leioderma Stensiö 1918 [replaced]
G. †Yunnancoelacanthus Wen et al. 2013
+
Invalid names: Coelacanthiidae [empty]
Diagnosis
No diagnoses are available
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: phosphaticsubp
Environment: marinesubp
Locomotion: actively mobilec
Life habit: planktonicp
Diet: suspension feederp
Created: 2009-07-20 21:50:54
Modified: 2009-07-20 23:50:54
Source: c = class, subp = subphylum, p = phylum
References: Bambach et al. 2007, Kiessling 2004, Hendy et al. 2009, Carroll 1988

Age range

Maximum range based only on fossils: base of the Late/Upper Givetian to the top of the Maastrichtian or 383.40000 to 66.00000 Ma
Minimum age of oldest fossil (stem group age): 382.31 Ma

Collections (265 total)

Oldest occurrences

Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Middle Devonian393.47 - 382.31Hong Kong Coelacanthiformes indet. (275905 275906)
Late/Upper Givetian - Early/Lower Frasnian383.4 - 379.0Germany (North Rhine-Westphalia) Coelacanthiformes indet. (197071 226077)
Famennian372.15 - 358.86USA (Ohio) Holoptychus sp. (653)
Arundian346.7 - 339.9United Kingdom (Scotland) Dumfregia huxleyi (90682)
Pendleian330.3 - 326.9United Kingdom (Scotland) Coelacanthiformes indet. (134654)
Arnsbergian326.9 - 323.6USA (Montana) Lochmocercus aciculiodontus (90681)
Bashkirian323.4 - 315.2United Kingdom (England) Coelacanthus lepturus (132670)
Bashkirian - Moscovian323.4 - 307.0United Kingdom (Devon) Coelacanthus elegans (232961)
Moscovian315.2 - 307.0United Kingdom Coelacanthus tingleyensis (137308)
Desmoinesian312.8 - 306.0USA (Pennsylvania) Coelacanthus sp. (165526)
Westphalian D309.8 - 307.4USA (Illinois) Coelacanthus exiguus (112630)
Kasimovian307.0 - 303.7USA (New Mexico) Coelacanthidae indet. (217022 217023 217024)
Virgilian303.7 - 298.9USA (New Mexico) Coelacanthidae indet. (216993 216994 217070)
Wuchiapingian259.857 - 254.14United Kingdom (England) Coelacanthus granulatus (90264) Coelacanthus granulatus, Coelacanthus caudalis (90266)
Wuchiapingian259.857 - 254.14United Kingdom Coelacanthus granulatus (131700)
Wuchiapingian259.857 - 254.14United Kingdom (Durham) Coelacanthus granulatus (131707)
Wuchiapingian259.857 - 254.14Germany Coelacanthus granulatus (130039 130275 130277 130278 130279 130280 137316 139366) Coelacanthus hassiae (149471)
Changhsingian254.14 - 251.902China (Zhejiang) Changxingia aspratilis, Changxingia weii (123522)
Induan - Olenekian251.902 - 247.0Canada (British Columbia) Whiteia sp. (279886)
Dienerian251.1 - 250.8China (Guizhou) Coelacanthiformes indet. A (225582) Coelacanthiformes indet. B (229437)