150-year-old museum specimen revealed as missing link in evolution of ancient fish

A new species of coelacanth has been identified from a 150-year-old fossil housed at London’s Natural History Museum. 

Former University of Portsmouth palaeontology student Jack L. Norton located the coelacanth, which provides a crucial missing piece in the evolutionary history of one of the world’s most iconic fish lineages. 

The discovery is a species of the so-called ‘living fossil’ coelacanths, which still swim in the seas today, having survived the extinction that killed off the dinosaurs. 

It comes from the Lower Cretaceous Gault Formation of southern England, and its identification fills a long-standing 50-million-year gap in the fossil record of Latimeriidae, the family that includes the modern coelacanth.  

Jack, who is now studying for a PhD in Zurich, is thrilled his discovery has helped bridge a gap in our understanding of how modern coelacanths evolved. He said: “It’s incredibly exciting that such an important specimen has been hiding in plain sight for over a century. Only now that we have the technology available to examine these fossils in minute detail at the Natural History Museum do we understand its significance.” 

The fossil has been preserved at the Natural History Museum in London since the 19th century. Its significance became clear when then Master’s student Jack and his former supervisor Dr Samuel Cooper were able to re-examine the specimen using the latest modern techniques, including X-ray computed tomography (XCT), which allowed researchers to study its internal structure in unprecedented detail.  

Jack added: “To manipulate a specimen with such importance and antiquity in 3D was truly fantastic.” 

Professor David Martill, from the University of Portsmouth’s School of the Environment and Life Sciences, said: “Coelacanths are famously known as ‘living fossils,’ having changed relatively little over hundreds of millions of years. However, key stages in their evolutionary history have remained elusive - until now. 

“What’s so wonderful about this finding is that it was a curious student who recognised its importance, which shows the value of the next generation of scientists, and the vast scientific potential of museum collections worldwide. 

“Specimens collected generations ago can still transform our understanding of evolution when studied using modern techniques.” 

The newly described species has been named Macropoma gombessae, which honours “Gombessa,” a traditional name used by Malagasy communities and fishers in the Comoros for the living coelacanth. The term roughly translates to “inedible fish” or “worthless fish” - a reflection of how the animal was perceived before its scientific importance became known. 

Emma Bernard, fossil fish curator from the Natural History Museum, London, said: “It's really exciting that Jack and Sam - who are both early in their careers - identified this specimen as a new species. This shows the scientific value of museum collections, and why it is important to continue holding specimens in trust for society while also continuing to research them. Who knows what else technology will reveal about these specimens in years to come!  

“Our upcoming exhibition Jurassic Oceans: Monsters of the Deep uses our world-leading collection to take visitors on a deep-dive to meet some of the most fascinating creatures to ever swim beneath the waves.” 

The University of Portsmouth runs the largest undergraduate palaeontology course in the UK, with over 150 students currently enrolled across three years of study.  

The BSc (Hons) Palaeontology degree, accredited by The Geological Society of London, was the first palaeontology course in the UK, and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. 

It offers a uniquely hands-on learning experience thanks to Portsmouth's proximity to the most prolific dinosaur site in Europe - the Isle of Wight - nicknamed “Dinosaur Island” for its rich fossil heritage - and the Jurassic Coast. 

The research was published in Papers in Palaeontology.