Eye lens radiocarbon reveals centuries of longevity in the Greenland shark ( Somniosus microcephalus )

• Published in: Science
• Main Authors: Nielsen, Julius, Hedeholm, Rasmus B., Heinemeier, Jan, Bushnell, Peter G., Christiansen, Jørgen S., Olsen, Jesper, Ramsey, Christopher Bronk, Brill, Richard W., Simon, Malene, Steffensen, Kirstine F., Steffensen, John Fleng
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: Journal Article; Research Support; Non-U.S. Gov't; Greenland shark somniosus longevity ageing; Arctic; Greenland; Somniosus microcephalus
• Online Access: https://researchprofiles.ku.dk/da/publications/ffbea06a-a98f-4e3d-9c1f-8047b3669b5d; https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaf1703

The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus), an iconic species of the Arctic Seas, grows slowly and reaches >500 centimeters (cm) in total length, suggesting a life span well beyond those of other vertebrates. Radiocarbon dating of eye lens nuclei from 28 female Greenland sharks (81 to 502 cm in total length) revealed a life span of at least 272 years. Only the smallest sharks (220 cm or less) showed signs of the radiocarbon bomb pulse, a time marker of the early 1960s. The age ranges of prebomb sharks (reported as midpoint and extent of the 95.4% probability range) revealed the age at sexual maturity to be at least 156 ± 22 years, and the largest animal (502 cm) to be 392 ± 120 years old. Our results show that the Greenland shark is the longest-lived vertebrate known, and they raise concerns about species conservation. The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus), an iconic species of the Arctic Seas, grows slowly and reaches >500 centimeters (cm) in total length, suggesting a life span well beyond those of other vertebrates. Radiocarbon dating of eye lens nuclei from 28 female Greenland sharks (81 to 502 cm in total length) revealed a life span of at least 272 years. Only the smallest sharks (220 cm or less) showed signs of the radiocarbon bomb pulse, a time marker of the early 1960s. The age ranges of prebomb sharks (reported as midpoint and extent of the 95.4% probability range) revealed the age at sexual maturity to be at least 156 ± 22 years, and the largest animal (502 cm) to be 392 ± 120 years old. Our results show that the Greenland shark is the longest-lived vertebrate known, and they raise concerns about species conservation.