Which critically endangered coelacanth species is found near the Comoro Islands?

The critically endangered coelacanth found near the Comoro Islands is the West Indian Ocean coelacanth.

The West Indian Ocean coelacanth (Latimeria chalumnae) is a deep-sea lobe-finned fish known locally around the Comoro Islands as gombessa. It is one of only two living coelacanth species; the other is the Indonesian coelacanth (Latimeria menadoensis). The Comoros became especially important to coelacanth research because fishermen had long encountered the fish there before scientists recognized living specimens.

The species became a scientific sensation in 1938, when a specimen caught off South Africa showed that a lineage thought to have vanished with the dinosaurs still survived. Its fleshy paired fins, lung-like fatty organ, and distinctive three-lobed tail reflect an ancient body plan, though it is not simply an unchanged “living fossil.” It inhabits steep rocky slopes at roughly 100–500 metres and reproduces slowly, making fishing pressure and accidental capture serious concerns.