The Coelacanth Discovery Quiz

What is the coelacanth often compared to due to its ancient lineage?

• A time machine

• A spaceship

• A modern fish

• A prehistoric bird

Who was responsible for discovering the coelacanth in 1938?

• Keith Thomson

• Professor JLB Smith

• Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer

• Charles Darwin

What was the initial reaction of the museum chairman to the coelacanth?

• He immediately recognized its importance

• He wanted to sell it

• He was excited and supportive

• He dismissed it as a common rock cod

What was Professor JLB Smith's reaction upon seeing the coelacanth?

• He felt like bombs were going off in his head

• He thought it was a new species

• He was unimpressed

• He fainted

What term did Charles Darwin coin that relates to the coelacanth?

• Prehistoric survivor

• Extinct species

• Living fossil

• Ancient relic

How did the coelacanth survive through mass extinctions?

• By evolving rapidly

• By remaining unchanged

• By migrating to new habitats

• By becoming a land animal

What significant event allowed dragonflies to grow to the size of falcons?

• A decrease in predators

• An increase in oxygen levels

• A change in climate

• A lack of competition

What is the coelacanth's significance in the study of evolution?

• It shows rapid evolution

• It is the only fish with limbs

• It is a direct ancestor of humans

• It is an example of a living fossil

What is the hope for the coelacanth's future according to Samantha Weinberg?

• That it becomes a common pet

• That it evolves into a new species

• That it becomes extinct

• That it outlives humans

What does the coelacanth symbolize according to Per Ahlberg?

• A common fish

• A future possibility

• A ghostly messenger from the past

• A modern marvel