An article published in the “Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology” reports the identification of coelacanth fossils that were previously attributed to very different animals, such as reptiles. A team of researchers led by Jacob Quinn of the British University of Bristol subjected a series of fossils to examinations such as X-rays and CT scans. The conclusion is that many fossils previously attributed to the reptile species Pachystropheus rhaeticus actually belong to coelacanths.

Some fossils have now been attributed to the family Latimeriidae, which includes the extant species, many of them have been assigned to the family Mawsoniidae, while others have an undetermined precise attribution. All of these fossils may include previously unknown coelacanth species. These fish are considered living fossils because they were thought to be extinct, but living species were discovered in the last century.