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The Amazing Coelacanth

ISBN 
9781775845027
Format 
Paperback
Recommended Price 
R140.00
Published 
April 2018
About the book: 
This colourful illustrated children’s book is aimed at ages 9-14. It recounts the discovery of the first coelacanth in modern times – a fish that had been thought to be extinct for many millions of years, and was known only from its fossil record.
 
In 1939, a specimen was hauled ashore in a fishing net off the South African coast near East London, and its identification as a coelacanth made world news. Chemistry professor JLB Smith identified the fish and dedicated the rest of his life to searching for live specimens and researching the science surrounding this evolutionary phenomenon.
 
This book, by ichthyologist Mike Bruton, uncovers:
  • the mystery of the coelacanth and the thrilling story of its discovery
  • its strange appearance and lifestyle
  • what makes it so special
  • how it evolved – and what this has to do with human evolution
  • how and what it eats, and who eats it.
These and many other details provide insight into this amazing fish and its marine companions.
Other titles by this author 
About the Author

Mike Bruton was born and educated in East London, where the first coelacanth was caught. He studied under JLB and Margaret Smith at Rhodes University, and subsequently took over from Margaret Smith as Director of the JLB Smith Institute of Ichthyology, launching a series of expeditions to study the coelacanth. He has been involved in coelacanth conservation and has given talks around the world on ‘old fourlegs’.

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