In 2006 , off the coast of Iceland , a giantocean quahog clam(Arctica islandica ) was drag from the ocean flooring . Like how you may look the rings in a tree diagram to see its age , it ’s potential to count growth rings on these dollar bill to roughly determine their age . In 2007 , scientists did just this .
" one-year band counting from the sectioned shell let out that this clam lived for more than 405 year , " a paper on the clamexplained , " attain it the longest - lived mollusk and mayhap the old non - colonial animal yet documented . "
Though impressively old , laterradiocarbon datingof the clam revealed it to be older still,507 eld oldto be exact . This set its likely birthdate sometime around 1499 CE , and shortly the clam was nicknamed " Ming " by the metier as it begin life-time during the time of theme dynastyin China .
It isfairly commonfor the species to experience over 100 age , or even older .
" The same species of dollar bill are caught commercially and eaten day by day , " researcher who studied the clam told theBBCin 2013 . " Anyone who has rust clam chowder in New England has probably eaten chassis from this mintage , many of which are likely several hundred years erstwhile . "
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Ming ( RIP ) .
So how do these shellfish live for so long ?
“ TheA. islandicahas a very low oxygen using up . When an creature has such a ho-hum metabolic process , it normally also mean that it has a very long lifespan . However , I also believe that part of the reason for its longevity lies in its genes , ” marine biologist Doris Abele toldScience Nordic .
" With the exception of nucleic acid oxidisation , damage levels ofA. islandicado not deepen with age , argue excellent cellular maintenance , " a paper on the topicadds . " Since coefficient of correlation between nucleic acid oxidation and geezerhood have also been shown previously in other organism , and nucleic acid oxidation accumulation pace correlate with relative geezerhood in both investigated population , nucleic acid oxidation may reflect intrinsic aging mechanics . "
regrettably for Ming , and for figuring out how long this species can live , the creature did not live to celebrate any more natal day . The clam , which populate through the Reformation , the Enlightenment , and the TV showFriends , conk out in 2006 , likely the consequence of how it was stop dead when it was first dredged from its safe haven on the ocean trading floor .
