Coelacanths (Latimeria chalumnae) are known from several countries in the western Indian Ocean, namely South Africa, the Comoros, Mozambique, Madagascar, Kenya and Tanzania. A separate species, Latimeria menadoensis, lives in Indonesia.

Coelacanths appear to be restricted to deep reefs where suitable cave-like structures exist, where they spend the daylight hours, only coming out at night to hunt. They are also apparently restricted to fairly cool water, between about 15-20 degrees celcius. Because coelacanths generally live in tropical areas, such cool water is generally only found quite deep down (generally over 100m).

Map of coelacanth distribution