The only thing that might possibly live longer than a Greenland shark is this clam. In 2006, researchers discovered an ocean quahog clam specimen that was estimated to be 507 years old. The mollusk made it into the Guinness Book of World Records and was dubbed Ming, named after the Ming dynasty (1368 – 1644) which was in power when the clam first formed. The researchers used carbon dating and ring-counting to determine its age.
Unlike other clams that live just beneath the soil, ocean quahog clams (Arctica islandica) live deep down where they’re less susceptible to predators. These clams are one of the longest living organisms in the world and can live for at least 200 years. Most quahogs are three to four inches in size and grey in color. They are also known as Icelandic cyprine, mahogany clam, black quahog, and black clam.
Lake Sturgeon
Native to the Great Lakes, the Lake Sturgeon is its oldest and largest species. Similar to the white sturgeon, it gets very large and has smooth skin and raised ridges. However, the relatively smaller lake sturgeon grows longer than six feet and weighs up to 200 pounds. Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) live extremely long. Some females reach 150 years. The oldest recorded lake sturgeon was 154!
In the past, their populations were almost decimated from the Great Lakes. Overfishing and overharvesting for their caviar was the cause, but their numbers have increased in response to better management.
American Lobster
For a crustacean, lobsters are enormous! The American lobster (Homarus americanus) can grow to 25 inches in length and weigh up to 44 pounds. In 1977 the world’s largest lobster clocked in at 44.6 pounds. That’s the size of a small child. American lobsters, found in the Atlantic Ocean on the East coast from Canada to Jersey, are also the largest of all arthropods. Lobsters are super aggressive—you do not want to confront its sharp and powerful claws!
The world-record, 44-pounder’s claw were powerful enough to snap a man’s arm. But, with a side of drawn butter, they are delicious. (Every apology to our vegan readers). Having said that, lobsters are bottom-feeders which means they dine on mollusks, sea worms, starfish and shrimp; but, also mercury, pesticides, dioxins and other toxins that settle down there. Stay away from its green liver. A lobster can easily outlive a human. On average, lobsters will live 50 years. Left alone they may patrol the ocean floor for 100 years. It’s true! In 2009, a fisherman in Maine caught a massive specimen that was estimated to be 140 years old.
Sea Sponge
This creature laughs in the face of a human lifespan. It outlives a person by more than 100 times! Even the amazing longevity of the hearty tortoise is a blip on the timeline compared with a sea sponge. These colorful organisms that are found ornamenting coral reefs, or any ocean floor surface, survive for a mind-boggling 2,300 years. Porifera, its scientific name, is a complex critter of the animal kingdom.
Though they are often written off as a plant because they don’t move and lack a nervous system as well as organs, they are a multicellular organism that consumes oxygen and food. Some sponges are even carnivorous. They come in all sizes, but the largest known sponge is as big as an SUV. It’s 12 feet long and 7 feet wide living just north of the Hawaiian Islands. It is, quite possibly, the world’s largest living animal.
Koi Fish
Koi fish (Cyprinus rubrofuscus) are actually a carp, as well as a distant cousin to the goldfish. People love to collect koi in outdoor ponds for their bright and pretty colors. On average, koi will live 20 to 30 years. But, Hanako, a koi born in 1791, lived for 226 years!
Koi can grow relatively large. The largest recorded koi fish was four feet long and weighed 91 pounds. Koi are vulnerable because their bright colors attract prey, but they are a durable species that can survive harsh climates and conditions. Interestingly, they are rather intelligent. Koi can be trained to respond to sounds or eat to out of hands. The koi fish is indigenous to Central Europe and Asia. They were first domesticated in East Asia and given their name which means “brocaded carp.”