Greenland shark
Depth: 600 m · Twilight Zone
The Greenland shark lives in the icy northern sea and is extremely slow. In return it grows older than any other vertebrate: over 250, perhaps 400 years. Some animals alive today were born hundreds of years ago.
For scientists
The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) grows only about one centimeter a year; dating of the eye lens has revealed lifespans of around 270 to over 390 years, the greatest known age of any vertebrate. Its flesh contains urea and TMAO against cold and pressure. Many individuals carry glowing parasites on their eyes.
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