Giant Coelacanth

Megalocoelacanthus dobiei

The deep water Giant Coelacanth, Megalocoelacanthus dobiei (Schwimmer, Stewart, and Williams, 1994), is an uncommon find in Mississippi, but it has been reported in a few areas including Clay, Lowndes, Monroe, Prentiss, and Itawamba Counties. Possibly the most identifiable fossilized remains of the otherwise toothless Giant Coelacanth are its pterygoid jaw bones. These jaw bones are studded with tiny, peg-like teeth, which were used to grip its prey before swallowing it whole.

This pterygoid fragment, from the much larger pteryoquadrate bone, was found in Itawamba County in 2018. Special thanks to Dr. Earl Manning for his help in identifying this bone from photographs!