Indonesian Coelacanth
Latimeria menadoensis
Indonesian Coelacanth (Latimeria menadoensis): The Brown Living Fossil of Sulawesi
The Indonesian coelacanth is one of only two living coelacanths, an ancient line of lobe-finned fish. It lives on steep, cave-riddled volcanic slopes far below the surface in eastern Indonesia, is brown with white blotches and gold flecks, and was unknown to science until a biologist's wife spotted one in a Manado fish market in 1997.
- Habitat
- Steep rocky deep-reef slopes, caves and crevices, mostly about 115-220 m deep in 12-21 °C water
- Size
- Up to about 1.4 m long; a 124 cm fish weighed 29.2 kg
- Diet
- Slow night-time drift hunter; coelacanths eat deep-water fish, eels and cephalopods
- Range
- Eastern Indonesia: North Sulawesi, Papua (incl. Biak, Waigeo) and North Maluku
- Conservation
- Vulnerable (IUCN); CITES Appendix I, international trade banned
- Lifespan
- Not measured for this species; its African relative lives about 100 years
Habitat & range
The Indonesian coelacanth lives only in eastern Indonesia. Most records come from North Sulawesi, where the species was found, but it has also been seen off Biak and caught off Waigeo in Papua, about 750 km away ([Kadarusman et al. 2020](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-57042-1)). In October 2024, divers found one in North Maluku, a region with no earlier coelacanth records ([Chappuis et al. 2025](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-90287-7)). It lives on steep volcanic slopes full of caves, cracks and overhangs. Remote-vehicle surveys off Sulawesi and Biak logged 30 coelacanths at 115-219 m depth in water of 12.4-21.5 °C ([Kadarusman et al. 2020](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-57042-1)).
How to recognise it
Coelacanths are heavy fish with thick, armour-like scales and paired fins on fleshy, limb-like lobes, plus a tail with a small extra middle lobe ([NOAA Fisheries](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/african-coelacanth)). The Indonesian species is **brown** with the same white blotches as its African relative, plus many golden flecks on the back and fins caused by light reflecting off tiny tooth-like denticles on the scales ([Erdmann et al. 1998](https://www.nature.com/articles/26376)). Each fish has its own pattern of white spots, which divers used to recognise the same individual on two days ([Chappuis et al. 2025](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-90287-7)). It reaches about 1.4 m ([FishBase](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Latimeria-menadoensis.html)). Compare the [West Indian Ocean coelacanth](/animals/west-indian-ocean-coelacanth), the only other living species.
Diet & hunting
Coelacanths are slow, night-time drift hunters. Rather than chasing prey, they drift with the current just above the bottom and eat benthic animals such as cephalopods, eels, cuttlefish and deep-water fish ([NOAA Fisheries](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/african-coelacanth)). Most of this was learned from the African species. Coelacanths have also been filmed drifting in a strange **headstand** pose, which may help them catch prey near the seafloor ([NOAA ESA status review](https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/17113)).
Discovery
On 18 September 1997, Arnaz Erdmann, the wife of marine biologist Mark Erdmann, spotted a strange fish being wheeled across the fish market in Manado, North Sulawesi. They could only photograph it before it was sold. On 30 July 1998, fishermen caught a second one alive in a deep shark gill-net off Manado Tua: 124 cm long and 29.2 kg. Locals call it *raja laut*, the 'king of the sea' ([Erdmann et al. 1998](https://www.nature.com/articles/26376)). It was described as a separate species in 1999. Its DNA puts the split from the African coelacanth at about 30-40 million years ago ([Kadarusman et al. 2020](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-57042-1)). A fish caught off Waigeo in 2018 was so different that it may even belong to a third, undescribed lineage ([Kadarusman et al. 2020](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-57042-1)).
Conservation
The IUCN lists the Indonesian coelacanth as **Vulnerable** ([IUCN Red List](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/135484/4129545)), and international trade is banned under CITES Appendix I ([FishBase](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Latimeria-menadoensis.html)). The main danger is being caught by accident in deep-set nets ([Erdmann et al. 1998](https://www.nature.com/articles/26376)). Coelacanths live very slow lives. The African species may live about 100 years and carry its young for around five years ([Mahé et al. 2021](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34143958/)), so populations recover slowly. The divers who found the North Maluku fish kept the exact site secret to protect it ([Chappuis et al. 2025](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-90287-7)).
Fun facts about Indonesian Coelacanth
- Science first noticed the species in a fish market, in 1997 (Erdmann et al. 1998).
- Its golden flecks come from light glinting off tiny tooth-like denticles on its scales (Erdmann et al. 1998).
- Divers first photographed a living Indonesian coelacanth in October 2024, at 144 m (Chappuis et al. 2025).
- Each coelacanth has a unique pattern of white spots, like a fingerprint (Chappuis et al. 2025).
- It split from the African coelacanth about 30-40 million years ago (Kadarusman et al. 2020).
Indonesian Coelacanth vs West Indian Ocean Coelacanth
West Indian Ocean coelacanth wins: it grows larger and heavier.
These two cousins will never meet: they live almost 10,000 km apart, one in eastern Indonesia and one off East Africa and the Comoros ([Erdmann et al. 1998](https://www.nature.com/articles/26376)). But if they did, size would decide it. The African species reaches up to about 2 m and 90 kg ([NOAA Fisheries](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/african-coelacanth)), while the Indonesian coelacanth tops out around 1.4 m ([FishBase](https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Latimeria-menadoensis.html)). Both are slow drift hunters built for saving energy, not fighting. Our verdict: the bigger West Indian Ocean coelacanth wins this family reunion.
Read more about West Indian Ocean coelacanth.
Common questions about Indonesian Coelacanth
How was the Indonesian coelacanth discovered?
In a fish market. On 18 September 1997, Arnaz Erdmann spotted a coelacanth being wheeled through the market in Manado, North Sulawesi, while on honeymoon with marine biologist Mark Erdmann. It was sold before they could keep it, but in July 1998 local fishermen caught a second one alive off Manado Tua (Erdmann et al. 1998). It was described as a new species in 1999 (Kadarusman et al. 2020).
What is the difference between the Indonesian and African coelacanth?
Colour, size and DNA. The Indonesian fish is brown with gold flecks; African fish are usually described as steel blue (Erdmann et al. 1998). The West Indian Ocean coelacanth grows to about 2 m (NOAA Fisheries) versus about 1.4 m (FishBase). Genetically the two split about 30-40 million years ago (Kadarusman et al. 2020).
How deep do Indonesian coelacanths live?
Usually about 115-220 m down. Remote-vehicle surveys off Sulawesi and Biak found 30 coelacanths at 115.6-218.9 m, in water of 12.4-21.5 °C (Kadarusman et al. 2020). The fish divers met in North Maluku in 2024 was at 144 m, where the water was 19-20 °C instead of 29-30 °C at the surface (Chappuis et al. 2025).
Has anyone seen a living Indonesian coelacanth in the wild?
Yes, but rarely. Earlier sightings came only from submersibles and remotely operated vehicles. In October 2024, two technical divers met one at 144 m in North Maluku and took the first diver photos of the species, then found the same fish the next day (Chappuis et al. 2025).
Is the Indonesian coelacanth endangered?
It is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN (IUCN Red List), and international trade is banned under CITES Appendix I (FishBase). It is threatened mainly by being caught by accident in deep-set nets (Erdmann et al. 1998), and coelacanths breed very slowly: the African species may carry its young for about five years (Mahé et al. 2021).
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