AnAge entry for Nothobranchius furzeri

Classification (HAGRID: 03990)

Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
    Phylum: Chordata
        Class: Teleostei
            Order: Cyprinodontiformes
                Family: Aplocheilidae
                    Genus: Nothobranchius (Taxon entry)
Species
Nothobranchius furzeri
Common name
Turquoise killifish

Lifespan, ageing, and relevant traits

Maximum longevity
1.1 years (captivity)
Source
ref. 1120
Sample size
Large
Data quality
Acceptable
Observations

The turquoise killifish is an extremely short-lived animal that shows an accelerated ageing process. Compared with similar species, these animals also mature earlier and grow quicker [0663]. They are the shortest-lived vertebrate species bred in the lab [1197]. Large differences in ageing phenotypes have been observed between strains with maximum lifespan in a laboratory strain reportedly of 32 weeks [0889]. However, wild-derived populations can live over one year in the lab [1120]. Differences in lifespan between strains have been genetically linked to sex [1227]. The sex chromosomes of turquoise killifish display features of early mammalian XY evolution [1228].

Ageing turquoise killifish show reduced learning performances, gliosis and reduced adult neurogenesis. One study demonstrated that as these animals age neurogenesis and extracellular matrix genes rapidly decay in the brain and synaptic and axonal genes progressively decay [1198]. Genes related to ageing are clustered in specific regions of the genome [1228]. Telomerase deficient turquoise killifish display the fastest onset of telomere related pathologies among vertebrates [1197].

Due to its natural habitat, the turquoise killifish has evolved so that it has two states: a fast-growing phase for the rainy season, noted by its fast development, sexual maturation and aging, and a diapause phase for the dry season, noted by the suspension of development. This diapause state is rather unique, since it is resistant to several stresses and to damage caused by ageing, making it an interesting prospect for ageing research [1360].

Life history traits (averages)

Female sexual maturity
Male sexual maturity
28 days
Adult weight

Metabolism

No information on metabolism is available.

References

External Resources

Integrated Taxonomic Information System
ITIS 647428
Animal Diversity Web
ADW account (if available)
Encyclopaedia of Life
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NCBI Taxonomy
Taxonomy ID 105023
Entrez
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Ageing Literature
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Internet
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