In a study published in the journal Science, a team of scientists claimed they may have discovered the oldest vertebrate on Earth. This is the Greenland shark which could be up to 512 years old!
The species, also known as the grey or gurry shark, lives in the cold waters of the Arctic and North Atlantic Oceans, and until very recently, it was hard to understand their lifespan.
The Oldest Living Vertebrate: The Greenland Shark
This slow-growing shark increases in size around an inch per year and can reach up to 16.5 feet. So, when the researchers came upon an 18-foot specimen, they knew it was something special.
To estimate its age, the scientists used a mathematical model which analyzed the shark’s cornea and lens. Of the 28 Greenland sharks they analyzed, with an average lifespan of 390 years, they concluded that the 18-foot shark could be up to 512 years old.
Its date of birth is estimated to be 1505, one year before Christopher Columbus’s death. The carbon dating does have a margin of error, but, the exact test came back with a margin of 120 years. With this in mind, it could be anywhere from 272 to 512 years old.
Anyway, it’s a major discovery if we take into account how hard it was to date these marine animals up until last year.
This is a Breakthrough Discovery According to Experts
Steven Campana, a shark expert from the University of Iceland notes that fish biologists have long tried to pinpoint the longevity and age of the Greenland sharks, but they haven’t been successful.
If we take into account that the shark is the apex predator, that is, the king of the food chain, in Arctic waters, it’s unbelievable that we didn’t know if it lives for 20 or 1000 years, added Campana.
A marine biologist and a Ph.D. student from Denmark, Julius Nelsen, who was part of the team, explains that we needn’t forget that there’s some uncertainty with the estimate.
However, even the lowest part of the age range, at least 272 years, still makes this shark the longest-living vertebrate that science is aware of.
Without a doubt, this breakthrough discovery is a step forward in the journey of learning more about this mysterious animal’s biology.
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