Which shark is recognized as the longest-lived vertebrate known to science?

The Greenland shark is recognized as the longest-lived vertebrate known to science.

A 2016 study dated the eye lenses of Greenland sharks using radiocarbon analysis. The results suggested lifespans of at least 272 years, with the largest sampled animal estimated at about 392 years old and an uncertainty range extending higher. Because the method estimates age rather than observing sharks throughout life, these figures are expressed as scientific estimates.

Greenland sharks grow extremely slowly, possibly less than a centimetre per year, and may not reach sexual maturity until roughly 150 years old. They inhabit cold deep waters of the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans and are often associated with sluggish movement.

The whale shark is the largest fish, but it is not known to be the longest-lived vertebrate. Greenland shark longevity is based on age estimates from eye-lens chemistry, not on a confirmed birth date.