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

• Published in: Science
• Main Authors: Nielsen, J, Hedeholm, R, Heinemeier, J, Bushnell, P, Christiansen, J, Olsen, J, Ramsey, C, Brill, R, Simon, M, Steffensen, K, Steffensen, J
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: American Association for the Advancement of Science 2016
• Subjects: Arctic; Greenland; Somniosus microcephalus
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaf1703; https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:6c040460-9519-4720-9669-9911bdd03b09

Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus), a species iconic to the Arctic Seas, grows slowly and reach >500 cm total length suggesting a lifespan well beyond those of other vertebrates. Radiocarbon dating of eye lens nuclei from 28 female Greenland shark (81-502 cm in total length) revealed a lifespan of at least 272 years. Only the smallest sharks (≤ 220 cm) showed sign of the radiocarbon bomb pulse, a time marker of the early 1960s. Age ranges of prebomb sharks (reported as mid-point ± 1/2 range at 95.4 % probability) 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 Greenland shark is the longest-lived vertebrates known and raise concerns for species conservation.