Which marine animal has the longest documented lifespan of any vertebrate?

Which marine animal has the longest documented lifespan of any vertebrate? The answer is the Greenland shark. Its lifespan is estimated at roughly 272 to 512 years, making it the longest-lived known vertebrate.

Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus) inhabit the cold, deep waters of the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans. Scientists estimated their ages by radiocarbon dating proteins in the lenses of their eyes, which form early in life and remain metabolically stable. A large specimen was estimated to be about 392 years old, with a substantial uncertainty range.

This extreme longevity is linked to the shark’s cold environment, slow metabolism, and very slow growth. Greenland sharks swim slowly and may grow only a fraction of a centimetre per year. They also mature extraordinarily late: females may not reproduce until around 150 years old.

Bowhead whales are also exceptionally long-lived and can exceed 200 years, while some koi and sea turtles reach impressive ages. They do not, however, surpass the Greenland shark’s documented vertebrate longevity record.