Greenland Shark Is Believed To Be Nearly 400 Years, Making It The Longest-Living Vertebrate

Deep in the icy waters of the Arctic, the Greenland shark seems to have mastered the art of living for centuries. It is believed that the Greenland shark is almost 400 years old.

Scientists reported in 2016, in the journal Science that Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus) can live for about 400 years, and possibly much longer. The extreme life span of this species ¡ª now believed to be the world¡¯s longest-lived vertebrate ¡ª was discovered via radiocarbon dating of proteins in the sharks¡¯ eyes.

Also read: World's Largest Glowing Shark Found, Which Lures Prey With Its Bioluminescence

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Scientists believe this odd species may hold secrets to prolonging our own lives.

Researchers used radiocarbon dating to find out the approximate age of a female in a group of 28 sharks. The study said the creature was about 392 years old. But the range stretched from 272-512 years.

This species is large yet slow-growing. The oldest of the animals that they sampled had lived for nearly 400 years, and they conclude that the species reaches maturity at about 150 years of age.

Also read: The Female Whale Shark, The World's Largest Fish, Can Live For 150 Years

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One possible explanation for the sharks¡¯ longevity is that they spend their lives 2,000 meters down, where the water temperature is around 29 degrees Fahrenheit. Extreme cold is associated with slow metabolism and maturation.

Lead author Julius Nielsen, a marine biologist from the University of Copenhagen, said: "We had our expectations that we were dealing with an unusual animal, but I think everyone doing this research was very surprised to learn the sharks were as old as they were."

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The former vertebrate record-holder was a bowhead whale estimated to be 211 years old, BBC Reported.

But if invertebrates are brought into the longevity competition, a 507-year-old clam called Ming holds the title of most aged animal.

Also read: Oceans Are Running Out of Oxygen And Sharks, Tuna and Other Large Fish May Soon Be Extinct