Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin (ISSN 0178 – 6288) . Number 122, February 2015, pp. 12-27. | Page 3

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Genus Macropoma
Macropoma (meaning big apple or large fruit in Greek) is an extinct genus of
coelacanth in the class Sarcopterygii. These fishes have apparently been extinct
for over 70 million years and are most closely related to the modern
coelacanth Latimeria (Wikipedia).
Fossils of Macropoma have been found in both England and Czechoslovakia. The
presently described fossil comes from Lebanon. Recorded fossils have bodies less
than two feet in length. A modern coelacanth measures five or more, but in other
respects the two genera are remarkably similar, and share the same body plan
with a three-lobed tail and stalked fins (Wikipedia).
Macropoma grew to a length of 22 inches (55 centimeters) and would have preyed
upon smaller aquatic species (Wikipedia).

The new Roundhead-Roundtail Lebanon Coelacanth fossil species † Macropoma libanus
Khalaf, 2015 from Lebanon. http://www.ebay.com/itm/LEBANON-LEBANESEULTRA-RARE-COELACANTH-FISH-FOSSIL-LIBANON-LIBAN-/130975206209 &
https://www.flickr.com/photos/50022881@N00/16271983607/

Measurements of the Roundhead-Roundtail Lebanon
Coelacanth Fossil Holotype
Total length: 8.00 cm; Head from mouth tip to gill cover: 1.75 cm; Tail length:
2.58 cm; Head width at the gill cover: 2.16 cm; Body width in the middle
(dorsal-ventral): 2.33 cm, tail base width: 1.66 cm; Anterior dorsal fin: 1.75 cm;
Posterior dorsal fin: 1.50 cm; Pectoral fin: 1.66 cm; Tail rays: 2.58 cm.
Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin