The 10 oldest animals in the world (and how long they live)

Millions of different species have inhabited our planet. Some are now extinct, while others continue to exist today. Some of them have stood out for their great longevity, since their specimens can live for long periods of time spanning centuries.

Human beings have always been extremely curious about immortality and have gone out of their way to find the key formula for achieving eternal life. Although people currently enjoy a longer life expectancy and live much longer long ago, we have not achieved, for the moment, that envied longevity of many species existing.

Researchers in the field of biomedicine have tried to find the keys to longevity, in order to understand the aging processes. They have tried to analyze the genome of some of the longest-lived species to find the key that allows them to live much longer than humans could dream of.

In these investigations, a species of jellyfish, called Turritopsis Nutricula, which is known as the "immortal jellyfish", has played a fundamental role. The importance of this animal is that it is capable of reverting its life cycle to the polyp stage even after it has reached sexual maturity. For this reason, this jellyfish is considered the only immortal organism in the animal kingdom. In this article we are going to know other animals that can live for long periods of time.

• We recommend you read: "10 animals that are in danger of extinction in the world"

What are the animals that live the longest?

Next, we are going to review those animals with the greatest longevity. As you will see, most of them belong to the marine ecosystem and live in the depths. They are usually mollusks, sea urchins and fish, animals that survive the passage of time although many times they can be threatened by human damage.

10. Koi Carp

Koi carp is a very popular pond fish in Asia. This is the result of a cross between selected specimens. Their vivid colors, their large size, meekness and their ability to partially emerge from the water when fed make these tents an attraction in gardens and zoos in Japan. The longevity of the carp can reach 20 or 50 years, reaching a record of a specimen, called "Hanako", 226 years old.

9. Iceland clam

This living being is the longest-lived mollusk on earth. It can be found in the north of the Atlantic Ocean, especially in boreal waters, although specimens have also been found on the American coast and in the Vigo estuary (Spain). The discovery of the longevity of this living being came after finding a specimen on the Icelandic coast in 2006, which was baptized as Ming.

This name was given in honor of the Ming dynasty, which was the one that ruled China at the time this clam was born. To find out its exact age, a study was carried out at the University of Bangor (Wales), in which dendrochronology was used to be able to count the number of rings in the shell of the mollusk. Although the clam was accidentally killed in the study, its age at the time of the study was estimated to be about 507 years, having been born in 1499.

8. Sea sponge

The sea sponge is one of the most primitive animals on our planet. Despite their appearance, sponges are animals, not plants. This living being is present in all the waters of the planet, because they are capable of adapting to all kinds of temperatures and depths in which other types of organisms cannot survive. It has been determined that, due to their age, sponges could have been the living being from which all other animals are derived.

When it comes to longevity, sponges are among the oldest animals in the world. Its existence dates back to about 500 million years ago and specimens of the species they can live more than 10,000 years. The factors that favor this spectacular longevity are its tendency to grow very slowly and its ability to live in cold waters.

7. Lake sturgeon

This animal is found in the rivers of Minnesota at any time of the year. The sturgeon has a beard of filaments through which it locates insects and small invertebrate animals, on which it feeds. To ingest them, it makes a suction with its particular mouth, which is extensible. It is a slow growing living being, but can live a whopping 152 years.

Despite its great longevity, it is an endangered species for two reasons. On the one hand, it is a prey coveted by fishermen for its meat, skin and oil. On the other hand, only 20% of the adults of the species are sexually active, so the population recovers very slowly.

6. Atlantic clockfish

This fish lives in all the oceans of our planet, but it is difficult to see because it is usually found in the depths of the waters, about 900 meters. This fish can measure up to 75 centimeters and weigh up to 7 kilograms. Its longevity allows it To live to 150 years, something surprising especially if it is a fish.

5. Rock fish

This type of fish is found in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, reaching depths of up to 600 meters. It is known to be one of the oldest animals on the planet, reaching 200 years of life. It is an animal of pink, beige or brown color, with dark spots. This curious fish lives very close to the seabed, on the rocks of the substrate, between caves and crevices, hence its name.

4. Galapagos tortoises

The Galapagos Islands constitute an oasis of diversity and life on our planet. One of the most characteristic species is its turtles, which can reach live up to 177 years. Scientists have identified up to 10 different species, although these are actually very similar to each other and are often considered a unique species.

3. Giant red hedgehog

The giant red hedgehog is the largest that exists on our planet, being able to reach 20 centimeters in diameter and 8 centimeters in the length of its spines. This curious living being should be on our list, since it can live, based on a diet of algae, up to 200 years.

2. Greenland whale

This huge black whale can reach 17 meters in males and 18 meters in females, weighing up to 100 tons. Researchers have been more than interested in studying this animal, since can live more than 200 years. In addition to its incredible longevity, this whale has also attracted the attention of science for its ability to avoid developing cancer.

Apparently, despite having many more cells than us (which in principle would make him more vulnerable to this disease) It has certain mechanisms to prevent this and other neurodegenerative, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Therefore, it is believed that studying its genome can provide clues to avoid this type of disease in humans.

1. Immortal jellyfish

As we have already anticipated, this curious jellyfish is the most outstanding example of a long-lived animal. However, its size is very small, as it does not measure more than 5 mm. The Turritopsis Nutricula is found in the warm waters of the Caribbean and to date it is the animal capable of reaching the longest life, being practically immortal.

The reason this is possible is because this jellyfish can revert to its polyp form once it has matured. The process would be the equivalent of human beings being able to go back to being babies after we have reached our adulthood. So far no other living beings with this surprising capacity are known.

Conclusions.

In this article we have talked about the 10 oldest animals in the world. Human beings have always had a great interest in increasing our life expectancy and achieving immortality. However, although we have managed to live much longer than years ago, we have not managed to achieve the long lives of many species on the planet.

Many living things, especially those of the marine ecosystem, surprise by their ability to live for more than a century. Some, like sponges, have been on the planet for millions of years, with specimens that have managed to live for millennia. Others, such as the so-called "immortal jellyfish", have the ability to return to their early stages of development once they reach maturity, so they never actually die.

Unfortunately, many of the species that we have discussed are in danger despite their longevity, as humans carry out their capture to profit from their exclusivity. In addition, long-lived species tend to be slow-growing species, so population recovery is often very difficult.