Coelacanth[]
In-game Information[]
JurassiCraft's first aquatic species! The Coelacanth is a fish dating back to the early Devonian. Independent drift-hunting prehistoric fish, Coelacanth are normally passive aquatic creatures. They have around 10 HP of health, and they deal a simple 2 HP of attack damage. Coelacanth will hunt squids and any chickens in the wrong place in the wrong time. Coelacanth also eat Krill and Plankton items. They are individual fishes, and unlike many creatures, have no flocking behavior. Extremely fluent in the water, Coelacanth have no direct sleeping schedule, and are awake at all times. And unlike every other prehistoric animal, Coelacanth have no need for a drinking source, since they directly live in water. Male and female Coelacanth will occasionally breed, giving birth to 1-3 live young. Coelacanth are not imprintable (see Taming), because of their low level of intelligence.
Also do note that Coelacanth meat is not at all recommended for consumption by players! Raw Coelacanth meat inflicts Poison and Nausea effects when eaten, while cooked Coelacanth meat only inflicts Nausea. However, specialized piscivores (like spinosaurids and mosasaurids) can eat either of these items without any side effects.
Coelacanth are cloned similarly to dinosaurs, but once a Coelacanth syringe is obtained, it must be placed into the Cultivator to gestate it.
Coelacanth InGen File
Real-world Information[]
The Coelacanths (Latimeria chalumnae and Latimeria menadoensis) are the last known remaining modern representatives of the Coelacanthiformes, an order of sarcopterygian bony fish that dates back to the Early Devonian.
The word "coelacanth" is Greek for "hollow spine", and refers to the fish's unique hollow spine fins. Thick scales act as armour to protect the fish from predators. Using its 8 different fins, the coelacanth is extremely maneuverable in the water, and can easily orient itself in almost any direction in the water.
Coelacanths among ancient ruins.
Modern coelacanths are nocturnal, piscivorous drift-hunters found exclusively in the deep, relatively unexplored depths of the Indian Ocean. Prehistoric coelacanths however were hugely diverse, ranging from the slow, swamp-dwelling giant Mawsonia, to the fast, active open-ocean pursuit predator Rebellatrix.
Coelacanths are oviviviparous, meaning that after mating, the female incubates the fertilized eggs inside her body, and then gives birth to live young just over a year later.
Due to their flesh containing high amounts of oil, urea, wax esters and other such nastiness, coelacanths are a poor food source for humans and hard for us to digest. Eating them can cause diarrhea!
JP Information[]
In order to keep coelacanths, you will need a very deep (and preferably dark) body of saltwater, ideally with some large rock formations for the fish to hide behind if threatened.
Although borderline inedible to humans, it is able to be processed very easily by the specialized digestive systems of spinosaurid dinosaurs and most large predatory marine reptiles.