Sydney, Sept 12: Groundbreaking fossil research has revealed a well-preserved Devonian coelacanth fish, Ngamugawi wirngarri, discovered in Western Australia’s remote Gogo Formation.
The study links this find to a period of heightened tectonic activity, offering new insights into coelacanth evolution during Earth’s geological changes.
Led by Flinders University and international experts, the fossil helps bridge a key transitional phase in coelacanth history, connecting primitive and more modern forms.
The name Ngamugawi wirngarri honors the Gooniyandi language of the Mimbi community, reflecting a collaboration with Indigenous Australians.
Dr. Alice Clement, an evolutionary biologist at Flinders University, highlighted the connection between tectonic activity and coelacanth species development.
“New species of coelacanth were more likely to evolve during periods of heightened tectonic activity,” she noted.
The Gogo Formation, a Late Devonian fossil site, is regarded as one of the world’s richest deposits of ancient fish and invertebrates.
Flinders University palaeontologist Professor John Long said the fossil’s importance in understanding early anatomy that would eventually lead to humans.
Over 35 years, the Gogo Formation has produced numerous fossil discoveries, including mineralised soft tissues and evidence of sexual reproduction in vertebrates.
This new find adds to the understanding of coelacanths, which evolved 410 million years ago and experienced significant diversity during the Mesozoic era.
Despite disappearing from the fossil record 66 million years ago, the coelacanth resurfaced in 1938, earning the nickname “Lazarus fish.”
These deep-sea lobe-finned fish are now considered closely related to tetrapods, animals with backbones and limbs.
Professor Richard Cloutier from the University of Quebec, a co-author of the study, challenged the perception of living coelacanths as “living fossils.”
He stated, “They are continuing to evolve and might not deserve such an enigmatic title.”
With global coelacanth fossils previously found in places like China and Australia, this discovery marks Ngamugawi wirngarri as one of the best-known Devonian species.
Researchers believe that further findings will help clarify coelacanth evolutionary patterns.
The study involved researchers from institutions in Australia, Europe, and Canada, and was published in Nature Communications, offering a fresh perspective on the evolutionary history of these ancient fish.
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