The Coelacanth (pronounced see-la-kanth) is a prehistoric species of fish, once presumed to be extinct. It had remained unevolved for 300 million years, as oblivious to the rest of the planet, as we all were to it. When 'rediscovered' in the 1930s it was almost hunted to extinction by man's idiotic curiosity to study and collect such a 'living fossil.'. Typiccal. While making only a cameo appearance in the story, it does provides a perfect central metaphor for this twisting, twisted romantic comedy with a definite sting in its tail.