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| Classification (HAGRID: 04117) | |
| Taxonomy | Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Porifera Class: Hexactinellida Order: Lyssacinosida Family: Rossellidae Genus: Scolymastra |
| Species | Scolymastra joubini |
| Common name | Hexactinellid sponge |
Lifespan, ageing, and relevant traits | |
| Maximum longevity | 15,000 years (wild) |
| Source | ref. 688 |
| Sample size | medium |
| Data quality | acceptable |
| Observations | Animals of this and similar species of Antarctic sponges grow extremely slowly in the low temperatures. Estimates based on growth rates suggest a very long lifespan in this and similar animals. One two meter high specimen in the Ross Sea was estimated to be 23,000 years old, though because of sea level fluctuations in the Ross Sea it is unlikely that such an animal could have lived for more than 15,000 years [0688]. Even if 15,000 years is an overestimate, which may well be the case, this specimen appears to be the longest-lived animal on earth. |
Life history traits (averages) | |
| No information is available on life history. | |
Metabolism | |
| No information on metabolism available. | |
References |
|
[0688] Susanne Gatti (2002), The role of sponges in high-Antarctic carbon and silicon cycling: a modelling approach | |
External resources | |
| Integrated Taxonomic Information System | |
| Animal Diversity Web | ADW account (if available) |
| Encyclopedia of Life | Search EOL |
| Genome Project | Search NCBI |
| Entrez | |
| Ageing literature | |
| Images | Google Image search |
| Internet | Search Google |
If you find any missing or incorrect data, please contact us.