The presence of populations of the Western Indian Ocean coelacanth (Latimeria chalumnae) in Madagascar is not surprising considering the vast range of habitats which the ancient island offers. The discovery of a substantial population of coelacanths through handline fishing on the steep volcanic slopes of Comoros archipelago initially provided an important source of museum specimens and was the main focus of coelacanth research for almost 40 years. The advent of deep-set gillnets, or jarifa, for catching sharks, driven by the demand for shark fins and oil from China in the mid- to late 1980s, resulted in an explosion of coelacanth captures in Madagascar and other countries in the Western Indian Ocean. We review coelacanth catches in Madagascar and present evidence for the existence of one or more populations of L. chalumnae distributed along about 1000 km of the southern and western coasts of the island. We also hypothesise that coelacanths are likely to occur around the whole continental margin of Madagascar, making it the epicentre of coelacanth distribution in the Western Indian Ocean and the likely progenitor of the younger Comoros coelacanth population. Finally, we discuss the importance and vulnerability of the population of coelacanths inhabiting the submarine slopes of the Onilahy canyon in southwest Madagascar and make recommendations for further research and conservation. Significance: The paper contributes significantly to knowledge of the distribution and ecology of the Indian Ocean coelacanth, Latimeria chalumnae. The paper provides the first comprehensive account of Madagascar coelacanths and demonstrates the existence of a regionally important population and extensive suitable habitat, correcting an earlier hypothesis that coelacanths in southwest Madagascar were strays from the Comoros. The results have application in the study of the evolution, biology, ecology and conservation of the species. The significant threat posed by gillnet fishing to coelacanths and other species is highlighted as are the negative effects of the shark-fin trade. The paper emphasises the importance of the Onilahy marine canyon in southwest Madagascar as an especially important habitat and provides the basis for the development of a national programme of research and conservation.

2][3][4][5][6][7] The specimen was saved for science by the young curator of the East London Museum, Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer 8 and identified by JLB Smith of

Appeldoom, Richard S., 3 Baird, Troy A., 101 Beecher, Hal A., 193 Brown, Scott B., 69,299 Burt, Austin, 15 Clark, Eugenie, 273 Cochran, Philip A., 235 Denuce, J. Manuel, 211 Dominey, Wallace J., 155 Dott, Eric R., 193 Driscoll, Jams Wiley, 29 Driscoll, John L., 29 Evans, Robert E., 299 Femau, Robert F., 193 Hammer, Cornelius, 91 Hara, Toshiaki J., 69,299 Hensley, Dannie A., 3 Hodgson, James R., 235 Holderman, Susan, 273 Kaeding, Lynn R., 287 Kinxie, Robert A., III, 179 Klaprat, Dorthy A., 69 Knapik, Paul G., 235 Kramer, Donald L., 15 Laitinen, Markku, 147 Levels, Paul J., 211 Livingston, Robert J., 225 Lodge, David M., 235 Levtrup, Soren, 241 Motta, Philip J., 39 Nakatsuru, Ken, 15 Osmundson, Douglas B., 287 Pauly, Daniel, 261 Pullin, Roger S.V., 261 Rabin, Joan S., 273 Reinboth, Rudolf, 249 Roff, Derek A., 133 Shapiro, Douglas Y., 3 Sibbing, Ferdinand A., 161 Snyder, Alexandra M., 155 Spry, Carolyn, 15 Trendall, Jasper, 117 Vadas, Robert L., Jr., 79 Valtonen, Tapani, 147 Warner, Robert R., 81

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Abel, Daniel C., 67 Aronson, Richard B., 303 Atchison, Gary J., 11 Berkman, Hilary E., 285 Bodkin, James L., 73 Britton, Robert H., 109 Bugaev, Victor F., 241 Cole, Kathleen S., 235 Coutant, Charles C., 161 Crivelli, Alain J., 109 Danzmann, Roy G., 249 Davis, Will iam P., 67 Degani, Gad, 149 Dewees, Christopher M., 313 Duthie, Garry G., 309 Ferguson, Moira M., 249 Fischer, Eric A., 143 Fletcher, Garth L., 295 Golovatjuk, Galina Ju., 241 Grover, Jill, 313 Harris, Margaret A., 173 Hart, Thomas F. Jr., 41 Henry, Mary G., 11 Hlohowskyj, Ihor, 277 Hofer, Rudolf, 209 Jameson, Ronald J., 73 Jastrzebski, Zbigniew T., 66 Kao, Ming H., 295 Klimley, A. Peter, 27 Koenig, Christopher C., 67 Kramer, Donald L., 81 L’AbCe-Lund, Jan Henning, 219 Lejeune, Pierre, 135 Levanon, Dan, 149 Lyons, John, 93 Margraf, F. Joseph, 77 McDonald, Michael E., 229 McNeely, David L., 195 Meffe, Gary K., 3 Meyer, Axel, 127 Moses, Boniface S., 51 Nelson, Joseph S., 173 Quinn, Thomas P., 155 Rabeni, Charles F., 285 Reisman, Howard M., 295 Rheinberger, Veronika, 209 Sanderson, S. Laurie, 303 Sandheinrich, Mark B., 11 Savvaitova, Ksenia A., 241 Schaeffer, Jeffrey S., 77 Shapiro, Douglas Y., 183 Shears, Margaret A., 295 Smith, R. Jan F., 235 Tallman, Ross F., 155 VanBlaricom, Glenn R., 73 Vollestad, Leif Asbjorn, 219 Walsh, Will iam J., 257 Werner, Robert G., 41 Wieser, Wolfgang, 209 Wissing, Thomas E., 277 Ziuganov, Valery V., 241

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Baker, John, A., 121 Balon, Eugene, K., 173, 271 Barlow, George, W., 316 Beitinger, Thomas, L., 235 Block, Claire, J., 41 Bulkley, Ross, V., 29 Claussen, Dennis, L., 131 Cone, David, 79 Conover, David, O., 161 Cummings, Kevin, S., 160 De Silva, Sena, S., 205 FitzGerald, GCrald, .I., 301 Gibbons, J. Whitfield, 41 Giesy, John, P., 191 Hocutt, Charles, H., 85 Howard, James, H., 85 Hubert, Wayne, A., 309 Ihnat, Jean, M., 29 Ingersoll, Christopher, G., 131 Janssen, John, 191 Jastrzebski, Zbigniew, T., 15, 17, 19, 276, 300 Johansen, Kjell, 221 Jones, L. Michael, 107 Kroll, William, 21 Kynard, Boyd, E., 161 Lindquist, David, G., 83, 107 Lindsey, Casimir, C., 3 Love, Milton, 259 Magnan, Pierre, 301 Maitipe, Parakum, 205 Majkowski, Jacek, 63 Martin, F. Douglas, 113 McKeown, Paul, E., 85 McMichael, Robert, H., 121 Morgan II, Raymond, P., 85 Morris, Pamela, A., 259 Page, Lawrence, M., 83,139,160 Paine, Michael, D., 97, 173, 277 Perera, Mala, K., 205 Pettit, Michael, J., 235 Rantin, Francisco, Tadeu, 221 Ruple, David, L., 121 Ryan, Patrick, A., 229 Saint-Paul, Ulrich, 53 Sedberry, George, R., 241 Shute, John, R., 107 Shute, Peggy, W., 107 Spotila, James, R., 41 Sandora, Edward, A., 41 Stang, Douglas, L., 309 Stephens, Jr., John, S., 259 Swofford, David, L., 139 Van Dolah, Robert, F., 241 Waiwood, Kenneth, 63 Zerba, Kim, 259

Allen, Donald, M., 185 Allen, Judith, R., M., 157 Aspinwall, Nevin, 279 Barlow, George, W., 235 Beacham, Terry, D., 67 Binkowski, Fred, P., 105 Boehlert, George, W., 17 Brill, Richard, W., 79 Crowder, Larry, B., 105 Dawidowicz, Piotr, 55 DeMartini, Edward, E., 29 Dill, Lawrence, M., 203 Dudgeon, David, 73 Dunbrack, Robert, L., 203 Ebeling, Alfred, W., 217 Ferguson, Moira, M., 151 Gerking, Shelby, D., 115 Gliwicz, Z. Maciej, 55 Goldstein, Robert, M., 137 Gray. Robert. H.. 163 Grobecker, David, B., 191 Helland, John, M., 61 Itzkowitz, Norman, 125 Jezierska, Barbara, 1 I5 Kramer. Donald, L., 49 Lamon, Mark, S., 311 Laur, David, R., 217 Lee, Raymond, M., 115 Lindquist, David, G., 293 Loew, Ellis, R., 173 Lythgoe, John, N., 249 Marrin. Donn. L.. 39 McCormick, Frank, H., 279 McFarland, William, N., 173 McKaye, Kenneth, Robert, 81 Middaugh, Douglas, P., 97 Moody, Robert, C., 61 Moore, Thomas, O., 29 Munz, Frederick, W.. 185 Noakes, David, L.G., 151 Page, Thomas, L., 163 Paszkowski, Cynthia, A., 283 Plummer, Kenneth, M., 29 Prepejchal, William, 137 Reist, James, D., 255 Romani, Dario, 151 Rowland, William, J., 269 Saroglia, Marco, G., 163 Schubel, Jerry, R., 125 Shand. Julia, 249 Shute. John, R., 293 Shute, Peggy, W., 293 Spigarelli, Steven, A., 137 Stein, Roy, A., 61 Takita, Toru, 97 Thommes, Michael. M., 137 Tonn, William, M., 283 Treasurer, James, W., 3 Ward, Jack, A., 301, 311 Woodhead, Peter, M., J., 125 Wootton, Robert, J., 157 Yoklavich, Mary, M., 17 Zoran, Mark. J., 301

Alevizon, William, 149 Balon, Eugene, K., 301 Baltz, Donald, M., 101,159 Barnes, Marvin, A., 297 Barwick, D., Hugh, 271 Benz, George, W., 111 Chilton, Glen, 215 Colgan, Patrick, 209, 261 Congleton, James, L., 15 Cumaranatunge, Ruchira, T., 77 De Silva, Sena, S., 77 Foster, George, R., 129 Gee, John, H., 215 Giorgi, Albert, E., 15 Graham, John, H., 137 Grant, James, W., A., 261 Gupta, Awadh, B., 221 Hastings, Robert, W., 137 Jones, Geoffrey, P., 43 Kirschbaum, Frank, 3 Landmeier, Dennis, 149 Lassuy, Dennis, R., 183 Lorenzen, William, E., 271 Luna, Adriana, 243 Maitipe, Parakum, 77 Martin, Kathleen, A., 215 McNicol, Richard, E., 29 Moyle, Peter, B., 101 Mwebaza-Ndawula, Lucas, 69 Neil, Susan, J., 59 Noakes, David, L., G., 29 Persson, Lennart, 305 Pfeiler, Edward, 117, 243 Portt, Cameron, B., 301 Power, Geoffrey, 297 Power, Mary, E., 173 Prejs, Andrzej, 281 Romero, Aldemaro, 203 Ross, Robert, M., 253 Silburt, Barbara, 209 Snelson, Franklin, F., Jr., 89 Srivastava, Anil, K., 221 Subramanian, Annamalai, 195 Takamura, Kenzi, 225 Turner, Bruce, J., 123 Turner, James, S., 89 White, Matthew, M., 123

Invited reviews Alternative life-history styles of cartilaginous fishes in time and space, by L .J .V. Compagno 33 Clupeoid life-history styles in variable environments, by M .J. Armstrong & P .A. Shelton 77 Alternative life-history styles of some African cichlid fishes, by A .J. Ribbink 87 Alternative life-history styles of Japanese freshwater sculpins revisited, by A . Goto 101 Alternative reproductive styles in seabreams (Pisces : Sparidae), by C .D. Buxton & P.A. Garratt . . 113 Patterns of gonad structure in hermaphroditic gobies (Teleostei : Gobiidae), by K .S. Cole 125 Comparisons between the roles played by estuaries in the life cycles of fishes in temperate Western Australia and Southern Africa, by I .C. Potter, L .E . Beckley, A .K. Whitfield & R.C.J. Lenanton 143

Abel, Daniel C., 67 Aronson, Richard B., 303 Atchison, Gary J., 11 Berkman, Hilary E., 285 Bodkin, James L., 73 Britton, Robert H., 109 Bugaev, Victor F., 241 Cole, Kathleen S., 235 Coutant, Charles C., 161 Crivelli, Alain J., 109 Danzmann, Roy G., 249 Davis, Will iam P., 67 Degani, Gad, 149 Dewees, Christopher M., 313 Duthie, Garry G., 309 Ferguson, Moira M., 249 Fischer, Eric A., 143 Fletcher, Garth L., 295 Golovatjuk, Galina Ju., 241 Grover, Jill, 313 Harris, Margaret A., 173 Hart, Thomas F. Jr., 41 Henry, Mary G., 11 Hlohowskyj, Ihor, 277 Hofer, Rudolf, 209 Jameson, Ronald J., 73 Jastrzebski, Zbigniew T., 66 Kao, Ming H., 295 Klimley, A. Peter, 27 Koenig, Christopher C., 67 Kramer, Donald L., 81 L’AbCe-Lund, Jan Henning, 219 Lejeune, Pierre, 135 Levanon, Dan, 149 Lyons, John, 93 Margraf, F. Joseph, 77 McDonald, Michael E., 229 McNeely, David L., 195 Meffe, Gary K., 3 Meyer, Axel, 127 Moses, Boniface S., 51 Nelson, Joseph S., 173 Quinn, Thomas P., 155 Rabeni, Charles F., 285 Reisman, Howard M., 295 Rheinberger, Veronika, 209 Sanderson, S. Laurie, 303 Sandheinrich, Mark B., 11 Savvaitova, Ksenia A., 241 Schaeffer, Jeffrey S., 77 Shapiro, Douglas Y., 183 Shears, Margaret A., 295 Smith, R. Jan F., 235 Tallman, Ross F., 155 VanBlaricom, Glenn R., 73 Vollestad, Leif Asbjorn, 219 Walsh, Will iam J., 257 Werner, Robert G., 41 Wieser, Wolfgang, 209 Wissing, Thomas E., 277 Ziuganov, Valery V., 241

The river pipefish Syngnathus watermeyeri was first recognized as a species under threat in the 1987 South African Red Data Book on fishes. That book descriptionbed the status of S. watermeyeri as 'Indeterminate-Vulnerable' and recommended that an investigation be undertaken to 'establish the status and conservation of the river pipefish'. According to the 1994 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animal, S. warermeyeri is officially extinct (category Ex), but it should have been listed as extinct? (category Ex?) since 50 years have not elapsed since the last specimens were collected in the wild. Can we identify any cause(s) which may have tipped the river pipefish into extinction?