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Ancient Creature of the Deep
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Viewing Ideas
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Before Watching
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Coelacanths have been found near South Africa, the Comoros
Islands, and Indonesia. Ask students to locate these places on a
map or globe and estimate the distances between them. Given the
distances between sites, do students think all three coelacanth
specimens are the same species? As students watch, have them
take notes on characteristics of the coelacanth.
After Watching
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Review students' notes about coelacanths. What are some of the
characteristics that the coelacanth has in common with most
other fishes? What are some of its more unusual characteristics?
What did students find most fascinating about the coelacanth?
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France claimed the right to all coelacanths caught off the
Comoros Islands, which were under French colonial rule at the
time of the 1952 discovery. Ask students if they think it is
fair for a nation to claim exclusive rights to new scientific
finds. Discuss whether the same principles should govern finds
in water and on land. Who should decide the principles that
govern who has rights to scientific finds?
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