desoxyribonucleic acid analysis has revealed that the current erstwhile fish experience in an aquarium could be even older than her late estimated age of 84 year honest-to-god , arrange her at 92 ( plus or minus 9 years , giving a cooking stove of 83 - 101 years sometime ) .
Methuselah is anAustralian Lungfish(Neoceratodus forsteri ) , aspeciesthat hang out in slow - moving rivers in Southeastern Queensland . And yes , these fish do actually have a lung , used to supplement their O intake in certain conditions !
Methuselah is around 1.2 meters ( 4 feet ) long and weighs 11 kilogram ( 25 pounds ) . Residing at Steinhart Aquarium , California , she get in San Francisco from Australia in 1938 .
“Methuselah is an important ambassador for her species," said Charles Delbeek, Curator of Aquarium Projects at Steinhart Aquarium.Image Credit: Gayle Laird, California Academy of Sciences.
“ Although we sleep together Methuselah come to us in the later 1930s , there was no method for determining her geezerhood at that metre , so it ’s incredibly exciting to get skill - based information on her literal age , ” Charles Delbeek , Curator of Aquarium Projects at Steinhart Aquarium , said in astatement .
TheDNAanalysis was led by Dr Ben Mayne of CSIRO and Dr David T. Roberts of Seqwater , who aim to write a field on the finding subsequently this year . Apaperdetailing the maturation of their method was published in 2021 .
The report highlights that invasive methods of aging , such as learn ear bones , are “ undesirable for threatened species ” – very relevant to Australian Lungfish , which are listed as Endangered on theIUCN Red List . or else , age is estimated by measuringDNA methylation , a cognitive operation where methyl group are added to desoxyribonucleic acid over time . A tiny fin tissue sample was used to reckon Methuselah ’s age .
Methuselah having a snack.Image Credit: Gayle Laird, California Academy of Sciences.
“ For the first time since the Australian lungfish ’s discovery in 1870 , the DNA age clock we developed tender the ability to call the maximal age of the metal money , ” Dr Mayne said .
“ Accurately cognise the age of fish in a universe , including the maximum age , is vital for their direction . This tells us just how long a species can live and procreate in the natural state , which is critical for pose population viability and generative potential for a species . It is a rare and worthful opportunity for researchers to access exceptionally long live on Pisces such as Methuselah kept in the precaution of California Academy of Sciences , as it helps us understand maximal longevity of a species under ideal care conditions . ”
As well as take an impressively long life-time , Methuselah also go like an absolutely delicious personality . “ I evidence my volunteers , affect she ’s an submerged puppy , very high , soft , but of course if she gets spook she will have sudden bout of energy . But for the most part she ’s just calm , ” Allan Jan of the California Academy of Sciences toldAPin 2022 .
She also has decadent taste , loving belly rubs and new Libyan Fighting Group . " She ’s a little picky and only wish figs when they are refreshful and in season . She wo n’t consume them when they ’re icy , " Jeanette Peach , spokeswoman for the California Academy of Sciences , told AP .
Methuselah succeeded another fish namedGranddad , who conk out aged around 95 in 2017 , as the old of the metal money . She is named after the biblical figure that is state to have died at the age of 969 years onetime . This soubriquet has also been given to theoldest known starand a 4,855 - year - old Great Basin bristlecone pine ( although Methuselah the treemay have competitionfor the championship of oldest Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree in the world ) .
“ Methuselah ’s long time was challenging to calculate as her age is beyond the currently graduate clock , ” Dr Roberts explained . “ This means her factual age could conceivably be over 100 , placing her in the rare club of Pisces centenarians . While her long time foretelling will improve over time , she will always live beyond the calibrated age clock , as no other lungfish we know is honest-to-god than Methuselah . ”
“ Methuselah is an authoritative ambassador for her coinage , helping to educate and stoke curiosity in visitor from all over the earth , ” Delbeek explained . “ But her wallop goes beyond revel guests at the aquarium : Making our living collection available to investigator across the existence serve further our understanding of biodiversity and what specie need to exist and thrive . ”
