Some deep-sea creatures exhibit extreme longevity, surviving for centuries or even millennia beneath the waves. Among the most remarkable is the deep-sea sponge Monorhaphis chuni, which scientists estimate can live up to an astonishing 15,000 years.
These sponges anchor themselves to the seafloor at depths of up to 5,000 meters and grow extremely slowly, making them some of the oldest living animals on Earth.
Another standout is the Greenland shark, which inhabits the cold waters of the North Atlantic and Arctic. Carbon dating has revealed that some individuals may be between 252 and 512 years old, making this species the longest-living vertebrate known to science.
Their slow metabolism, aided by the frigid environment, contributes to their extraordinary lifespan.
Other deep-sea dwellers with impressive lifespans include the bowhead whale, which can live for more than 200 years, and the red sea urchin, with individuals reaching ages of up to 200 years.
Survival in Hostile Environments
The ocean quahog clam also deserves mention, with some specimens documented at over 500 years old.
These examples highlight how the deep sea, with its stable, cold, and low-energy environment, fosters the evolution of creatures capable of surviving for centuries—sometimes even longer than human civilization itself.
