Ocean senior citizen
The Greenland shark, which may live to be more than 500 years old, holds the record for the longest-lived vertebrate animal.
What Animal Has the Longest Life Span?
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The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) is the longest-lived vertebrate animal known to science. Radiocarbon dating of proteins in the shark’s eye-lens nuclei suggests that some individuals may be more than 500 years old. This extraordinary longevity is attributed to the species’ exceptionally slow growth rate and metabolism, adaptations to the frigid and deep waters of the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic, where it primarily resides.
How long do animals live?This graphic shows the maximum life spans of selected animal species.