Courtenay-Latimer received a call about an unusual fish catch from Captain Goosen, leading to her discovery of the coelacanth.
On December 22, 1938, while serving as curator of the East London Museum, Marjorie received a pivotal telephone call from Captain Hendrik Goosen of the trawler Nerine. He informed her of an unusual 'garbage fish' onboard, prompting her to inspect the catch the following day. This initial contact catalyzed the identification of the first living coelacanth, a significant zoological discovery.