A 512-year-old ancient shark has been discovered by researchers in the North Atlantic. It’s possible that this shark is the world’s oldest living vertebrate.
Greenland sharks are moderately odd-looking animals. They have a small head with a short, rounded snout and a long, thick gray body.
The species frequently suffers from worm-like parasites that latch onto their ghostly eyes and ever-gaping mouth.
An 18-foot Greenland shark has been studied by Julius Nilsson and his team of marine biologists. The shark is thought to be between 242 and 512 years old, according to their estimations.
Greenland sharks, on the other hand, have been known to live hundreds of years and spend the majority of their lives swimming around in search of a mate.
However, recent research indicates that this species of shark may live to be even older.
The long-life genes of Greenland sharks are being studied by researchers to learn more about how different species, including humans, determine life expectancy.
You might be wondering, “How did this shark get so old?” From Canada to Norway, the Atlantic Ocean’s deep waters are home to Greenland sharks.
A prolonged metabolism and the cold water in which these sharks are found are the reasons for their long lives.
The method for determining the animal’s age was established last year. Analyzing the lens and cornea of the eye, which they believed are linked to size with age, researchers discovered a method for predicting age.
Greenland sharks, which are also known as grey sharks, grow at a rate of one centimeter per year, so scientists can measure their size to see how old they are.
According to the size of the shark, the one in question is 18 feet long and weighs more than a ton.
With an estimated age of 512 years, the creature is older than Shakespeare, as suggested by researchers, and could have been born as early as 1505.
Because of this, the shark is unique, and these marine animals are thought to be among the oldest known.
