Freshwater Pearl Mussel: 250+ Years Old
Freshwater pearl mussels (Margaritifera margaritifera) filter food particles from water. Found in rivers and streams in Europe and North America, they can live up to 280 years, thanks to their low metabolism.
Greenland Shark: 272+ Years Old
Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus) inhabit the Arctic and North Atlantic. Reaching up to 24 feet, these sharks have diverse diets, including fish and seals, and can live for over 272 years.
Tubeworm: 300+ Years Old
Tubeworms thrive in the cold, stable deep sea. Escarpia laminata, found in the Gulf of Mexico, can live over 300 years. Their long lifespan is due to low death rates and few predators.
Ocean Quahog Clam: 500+ Years Old
Ocean quahog clams (Arctica islandica) live in the North Atlantic. One clam, found off Iceland, was 507 years old, nicknamed Ming as it was born during China's Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
Black Coral: 4,000+ Years Old
Black corals, made of polyps' exoskeletons, multiply and replace themselves, creating large structures over time. This process allows black corals to live for over 4,000 years.
Glass Sponge: 10,000+ Years Old
Glass sponges, found in the deep ocean, have skeletons resembling glass. One species, Monorhaphis chuni, was estimated to be about 11,000 years old, making glass sponges some of the longest-living organisms.
Turritopsis Dohrnii: Potentially Immortal
Turritopsis dohrnii, the "immortal jellyfish," can revert to its polyp stage when damaged or starving. This unique ability allows them to potentially live forever, cycling between polyp and jellyfish stages.
Hydra: Also Potentially Immortal
Hydras are small invertebrates with the potential for immortality. Made largely of stem cells, they continually regenerate.