New Ancient Fish Species Whiteia anniae Discovered in China

Paleontologists in China have discovered a new species of coelacanth, Whiteia anniae, from marine fossils found in Anhui Province. The species, dating back 249 million years to the Early Triassic period, is the first record of the genus Whiteia in Asia. Measuring up to 46 cm long, it extends the known range of coelacanths and predates earlier Asian fossils by 9 million years. Coelacanths, often called “living fossils,” are ancient lobe-finned fishes that survived multiple mass extinctions. Published in Scientific Reports (October 2025), this find by Dr. Guang-Hui Xu’s team sheds new light on early fish evolution and diversity.