Changes

Evolutionist scientists claim the fossil record of Coelacanths now extends from what they call the early [[Devonian]] (410-415 million years ago)<ref name=BL>[http://journals.royalsociety.org/content/d43r823338422164/ Oldest coelacanth, from the Early Devonian of Australia] ''Biology Letters''</ref> to the late [[Cretaceous]] (about 80 million years ago).<ref name=lc>[http://cretaceousfossils.com/content/view/544/574/ Megalocoelacanthus dobiei]</ref> But the dramatic discovery occurred in 1938 when [[Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer]], curator of a museum in [[East London]], [[South Africa]], found a curious fish in the catch brought back by a trawler just before Christmas. In February 1939 [[ichthyologist]] [[James Leonard Brierley]] Smith identified the fish as a coelacanth and named it ''Latimeria chalumnae'' after its discoverer and the [[Chalumna River]] where it was caught.  The next specimen of ''Latimeria'' turned up in 1952, and since then many have been both caught and studied live in the wild and a second species ''Latimeria menadoensis'' was discovered in [[Indonesia]] in 1997.

Evolutionist scientists claim the fossil record of Coelacanths now extends from what they call the early [[Devonian]] (410-415 million years ago)<ref name=BL>[http://journals.royalsociety.org/content/d43r823338422164/ Oldest coelacanth, from the Early Devonian of Australia] ''Biology Letters''</ref> to the late [[Cretaceous]] (about 80 million years ago).<ref name=lc>[http://cretaceousfossils.com/content/view/544/574/ Megalocoelacanthus dobiei]</ref> But the dramatic discovery occurred in 1938 when [[Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer]], curator of a museum in [[East London]], [[South Africa]], found a curious fish in the catch brought back by a trawler just before Christmas. In February 1939 [[ichthyologist]] [[James Leonard Brierley]] Smith identified the fish as a coelacanth and named it ''Latimeria chalumnae'' after its discoverer and the [[Chalumna River]] where it was caught.  The next specimen of ''Latimeria'' turned up in 1952, and since then many have been both caught and studied live in the wild and a second species ''Latimeria menadoensis'' was discovered in [[Indonesia]] in 1997.

Modern Coelacanths are often called 'living fossils' by evolutionist scientists, but they claim two modern species are different from their ancient relatives. According to these scientists, the fact that coelacanths exist today is no different from the fact that in today's oceans we find modern species of sharks or starfish that differ from their fossilized counterparts. These people claim living Coelacanths are simply so rare (and so much rarer than their ancient relatives) that they escaped the notice of scientists until the 20th century. George Gaylord Simpson sums up the living coelacanths' situation thus:<ref>[http://www.jstor.org/stable/986487 'Mammals and Cryptozoology.'] ''Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society'' 128 (1984) 3.</ref>

Modern Coelacanths are often called 'living fossils' by evolutionist scientists, but they claim two modern species are different from their ancient relatives. According to these scientists, the fact that coelacanths exist today is no different from the fact that in today's oceans we find modern species of sharks or starfish that differ from their fossilized counterparts. Living Coelacanths are simply so rare (and so much rarer than their ancient relatives) that they escaped the notice of scientists until the 20th century. George Gaylord Simpson sums up the living coelacanths' situation thus:<ref>[http://www.jstor.org/stable/986487 'Mammals and Cryptozoology.'] ''Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society'' 128 (1984) 3.</ref>

<blockquote><i>Latimeria</i> is very different from any [[Devonian]] fish. It is also different from any late [[Cretaceous]] [[crossopterygian]] known from [[fossil]]s approximately sixty-five million years old. Until <i>Latimeria</i> was found, seen, and named by a zoologist in 1940 it was believed that the order of fishes [[Crossopterygii]], represented by fossils from early [[Devonian]] to late [[Cretaceous]], was extinct. <i>Latimeria</i> does belong to this order, but in its "hidden" years since the late [[Cretaceous]] it had evolved considerably. It is therefore distinguished from all fossil [[crossopterygians]] by its representation of a separate family, [[Latimeridae]]. No fossils of this family are known but it must have had members in or through the present Recent [[Cenozoic]] era. The large hiatus in the fossil record has a probable explanation in the fact that <i>Latimeria</i> is confined in a relatively small area of deep sea in the western part of the Indian Ocean. No fossils of any sort are known from that area or from any region that has been continuously under deep oceanic water throughout the [[Cenozoic]].</blockquote>

<blockquote><i>Latimeria</i> is very different from any [[Devonian]] fish. It is also different from any late [[Cretaceous]] [[crossopterygian]] known from [[fossil]]s approximately sixty-five million years old. Until <i>Latimeria</i> was found, seen, and named by a zoologist in 1940 it was believed that the order of fishes [[Crossopterygii]], represented by fossils from early [[Devonian]] to late [[Cretaceous]], was extinct. <i>Latimeria</i> does belong to this order, but in its "hidden" years since the late [[Cretaceous]] it had evolved considerably. It is therefore distinguished from all fossil [[crossopterygians]] by its representation of a separate family, [[Latimeridae]]. No fossils of this family are known but it must have had members in or through the present Recent [[Cenozoic]] era. The large hiatus in the fossil record has a probable explanation in the fact that <i>Latimeria</i> is confined in a relatively small area of deep sea in the western part of the Indian Ocean. No fossils of any sort are known from that area or from any region that has been continuously under deep oceanic water throughout the [[Cenozoic]].</blockquote>