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https://theconversation.com/meet-5-remarkably-old-animals-from-a-greenland-shark-to-a-featherless-seafaring-cockatoo-185605>
"Some animals can live to a startlingly old age, from the famous 392-year-old
“Greenland shark” to a 190-year-old tortoise in the Seychelles. Two science
studies published last week brings us closer to understanding why some animal
species can live for so long – far longer than humans.
The first, published in
Science, debunked a few theories on why amphibians
and reptiles (such as tortoises) live long lives. It found most reptiles and
amphibians have highly variable rates of ageing and that, perhaps
counter-intuitively, being coldblooded is not indicative of a long lifespan.
The only exception is turtles, which may fit the hypothesis of having a
“protective phenotype”, where physical or chemical traits such as shells or
venom enable a species to live longer.
The second study, which I was involved in, discovered the age of the world’s
oldest aquarium fish: Granddad the lungfish.
Granddad was sent from Australia to Chicago in 1933 and lived in an aquarium
until 2017. Our study measured changes in Granddad’s DNA to calculate his age
at death. He was 109 years old.
Finding out how long an animal lives for isn’t easy, especially if they can
outlive humans. It is well established that ageing is under genetic control, as
the DNA sequence of certain genes can predict potential lifespan.
However, environmental pressures – such as getting eaten by a predator or
succumbing to disease – can cut life off short, and may explain age differences
between closely related species, such as between reptiles in the first study.
Here, I introduce you to five remarkably old animals and the fascinating lives
they’ve led."
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
