Go Ad-Free
My Alerts
Moneycontrol
Moneycontrol PRO
Get App Open
In App
News on WhatsApp
News on WhatsApp
Go PRO Now
Open App
Homescience

From 200 to 11,000 Years: World's 8 animals with the longest lifespan beyond imagination

From the Greenland shark to the ocean quahog, here are 8 animals that live for centuries or even millennia, defying nature’s limits and offering a glimpse into Earth’s most extraordinary lifespans.

Sheetal Kumari | August 18, 2025 / 16:08 IST
1/8
Greenland Shark – 500 Years: The Greenland shark is Earth’s longest-living vertebrate. Research suggests lifespans beyond 400 years, with one individual possibly reaching 512 years. These sharks thrive in Arctic deep waters. (Image: Canva)
Greenland Shark – 500 Years: The Greenland shark is Earth’s longest-living vertebrate. Research suggests lifespans beyond 400 years, with one individual possibly reaching 512 years. These sharks thrive in Arctic deep waters. (Image: Canva)
2/8
Red Sea Urchin – 200 Years: Red sea urchins, found in Pacific waters, can live over 200 years. They show almost no signs of ageing and remain fertile throughout their lives. (Image: Canva)
Red Sea Urchin – 200 Years: Red sea urchins, found in Pacific waters, can live over 200 years. They show almost no signs of ageing and remain fertile throughout their lives. (Image: Canva)
3/8
Immortal Jellyfish (Turritopsis dohrnii): Nicknamed the “immortal jellyfish,” it can reverse its life cycle, turning from adult back to polyp repeatedly. This process makes it biologically ageless, though predators can still kill it. (Image: Canva)
Immortal Jellyfish (Turritopsis dohrnii): Nicknamed the “immortal jellyfish,” it can reverse its life cycle, turning from adult back to polyp repeatedly. This process makes it biologically ageless, though predators can still kill it. (Image: Canva)
4/8
Hydra – The Eternal Creature: Hydras regenerate endlessly with stem cells, showing no signs of ageing. Though vulnerable to predators, in safe conditions, these tiny invertebrates could live forever. (Image: Canva)
Hydra – The Eternal Creature: Hydras regenerate endlessly with stem cells, showing no signs of ageing. Though vulnerable to predators, in safe conditions, these tiny invertebrates could live forever. (Image: Canva)
5/8
Tubeworms – 300 Years: Found on the seafloor, tubeworms feed through symbiotic bacteria. Escarpia laminata species can surpass 300 years, surviving with slow metabolism and almost no predators. (Image: Canva)
Tubeworms – 300 Years: Found on the seafloor, tubeworms feed through symbiotic bacteria. Escarpia laminata species can surpass 300 years, surviving with slow metabolism and almost no predators. (Image: Canva)
6/8
Glass Sponge – 11,000 Years Old: Glass sponges form colonies with skeletons resembling glass. Some species, like Monorhaphis chuni, have been dated to around 11,000 years, making them among the oldest animals alive. (Image: NOAA's National Ocean Service)
Glass Sponge – 11,000 Years Old: Glass sponges form colonies with skeletons resembling glass. Some species, like Monorhaphis chuni, have been dated to around 11,000 years, making them among the oldest animals alive. (Image: NOAA's National Ocean Service)
7/8
Black Coral – 4,000 Years: Deep-sea black coral may look like rock, but it’s made of tiny polyps. Radiocarbon dating shows specimens in Hawaii are over 4,200 years old. (Image: Anthony Montgomery/NOAA's National Ocean Service)
Black Coral – 4,000 Years: Deep-sea black coral may look like rock, but it’s made of tiny polyps. Radiocarbon dating shows specimens in Hawaii are over 4,200 years old. (Image: Anthony Montgomery/NOAA's National Ocean Service)
8/8
Ocean Quahog – 507 Years: The Arctica islandica clam grows slowly in cold Atlantic waters. One, nicknamed Ming, lived 507 years—born in 1499 during China’s Ming Dynasty. (Image: Canva)
Ocean Quahog – 507 Years: The Arctica islandica clam grows slowly in cold Atlantic waters. One, nicknamed Ming, lived 507 years—born in 1499 during China’s Ming Dynasty. (Image: Canva)

Discover the latest Business News, Budget 2025 News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!

Advisory Alert: It has come to our attention that certain individuals are representing themselves as affiliates of Moneycontrol and soliciting funds on the false promise of assured returns on their investments. We wish to reiterate that Moneycontrol does not solicit funds from investors and neither does it promise any assured returns. In case you are approached by anyone making such claims, please write to us at grievanceofficer@nw18.com or call on 02268882347