The secret of the coelacanth's transformation lies in its fins

But the fact that the coelacanth came back from the dead isn't all that makes this fish so astounding.Even more intriguing is the fact that genetically and morphologically,the coelacanth has more in common with four-limbed vertebrates than almost any other fish,and its smaller genome is ideal for study.This makes the coelacanth a powerful link between aquatic and land vertebrates,a living record of their transition from water to land millions of years ago.The secret to this transition is in the fins.