Some people might think that the longest living animal is a kind of turtle—or a pretty humungous alligator.
Some might even say it could believe it to be a 40-meter snake in the depths of the swamp.
If that’s your question, oh boy do we have the answers for you!
The Longest Living Animal
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A deep-sea clam called an ocean quahog was found living near Iceland at the ripe old age of 507 years—the longest living animal to date.
This beats the previous record which was held by a 492-year-old Greenland shark, also known as a Somniosus microcephalus.
The first records of these sharks date back to the 1500s.
The quahog is a type of bivalve mollusk, which means it has two shells that are hinged together.
It is found in cold waters all over the world and can reach sizes of up to 10 inches long.
These creatures don’t really have a lifespan as such, since they don’t age in the same way as other animals.
The longest living animal simply grows larger and larger until they die of natural causes.
They are known for being incredibly resilient since they can survive even after being boiled alive.
They also clean other marine creatures by eating their feces (eww).
The ocean quahog was found during an Arctic research expedition in Iceland’s waters and will soon be returned to the deep sea to continue its long life.
As For Humans…
The oldest living human is currently around 115 years old, so these creatures are definitely something to be amazed by!
The ocean quahog’s secret to a long life may be its low metabolism – it doesn’t need to eat or drink very often.
So if you’re ever feeling down in the dumps, just remember that there’s one creature out there that’s been around for centuries and is still going strong!
The ocean quahog is a true testament to the saying “you can’t keep a good clam down”.
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