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Trait ranking

Maximum Longevity by Animal Species

Browse the longest recorded lifespans across SpeciesTraits records with available longevity data. Maximum longevity is a record value, not an average lifespan or life expectancy.

Compare in the ExplorerHow longevity is defined
6,909species records with a recorded maximum-longevity value
Record valuethe oldest recorded age, not a typical lifespan
Recorded values onlyspecies without a numeric maximum-longevity record are omitted

Ranking

Longest recorded lifespans

Browse the top 100 recorded maximum-longevity values. The ranking starts with 20 species and reveals 20 more each time you continue.

  1. 1Hexactinellid spongeScolymastra joubini15,000 years
  2. 2Great Basin bristlecone pinePinus longaeva5,062 years
  3. 3African baobabAdansonia digitata2,500 years
  4. 4Epibenthic spongeCinachyra antarctica1,550 years
  5. 5Common ginkgoGinkgo biloba1,000 years
  6. 6Umbrella thornVachellia tortilis650 years
  7. 7Ocean quahog clamArctica islandica507 years
  8. 8Greenland sharkSomniosus microcephalus392 years
  9. 9Seepiophila jonesiSeepiophila jonesi300 years
  10. 10Escarpia laminataEscarpia laminata300 years
  11. 11Lamellibrachia luymesiLamellibrachia luymesi250 years
  12. 12Bowhead whaleBalaena mysticetus211 years
  13. 13Rougheye rockfishSebastes aleutianus205 years
  14. 14Red sea urchinStrongylocentrotus franciscanus200 years
  15. 15Galapagos tortoiseChelonoidis nigra177 years
  16. 16Charles Island Giant TortoiseChelonoidis niger177 years
  17. 17Indefatigable Island Giant TortoiseChelonoidis porteri177 years
  18. 18Chelonoidis abingdoniiChelonoidis abingdonii177 years
  19. 19Chelonoidis vicinaChelonoidis vicina177 years
  20. 20Volcan Wolf Giant Tortoise, Cape Berkeley Giant TortoiseChelonoidis becki177 years
  21. 21Chatham Island Giant TortoiseChelonoidis chathamensis177 years
  22. 22James Island Giant TortoiseChelonoidis darwini177 years
  23. 23Duncan Island Giant TortoiseChelonoidis duncanensis177 years
  24. 24Hood Island Giant TortoiseChelonoidis hoodensis177 years
  25. 25Pacific geoduckPanopea generosa168 years
  26. 26Shortraker rockfishSebastes borealis157 years
  27. 27Lake sturgeonAcipenser fulvescens152 years
  28. 28Aldabra tortoiseAldabrachelys gigantea152 years
  29. 29Orange roughyHoplostethus atlanticus149 years
  30. 30Warty oreoAllocyttus verrucosus140 years
  31. 31Terrapene mexicanaTerrapene mexicana138 years
  32. 32Eastern box turtleTerrapene carolina138 years
  33. 33Mediterranean spur-thighed tortoiseTestudo graeca127 years
  34. 34Hermann’s tortoiseTestudo hermanni127 years
  35. 35European pond turtleEmys orbicularis120 years
  36. 36Beluga sturgeonHuso huso118 years
  37. 37Rasphead rockfishSebastes ruberrimus118 years
  38. 38Tiger rockfishSebastes nigrocinctus116 years
  39. 39Shortspine thornyheadSebastolobus alascanus115 years
  40. 40Fin whaleBalaenoptera physalus114 years
  41. 41SablefishAnoplopoma fimbria114 years
  42. 42Bigmouth buffaloIctiobus cyprinellus112 years
  43. 43Blue whaleBalaenoptera musculus110 years
  44. 44Redbanded rockfishSebastes babcocki106 years
  45. 45Northern quahogMercenaria mercenaria106 years
  46. 46Northern propellerclamCyrtodaria siliqua105 years
  47. 47White sturgeonAcipenser transmontanus104 years
  48. 48Telescope cardinalEpigonus telescopus104 years
  49. 49OlmProteus anguinus102 years
  50. 50Madagascan (Plowshare or Ploughshare) TortoiseAstrochelys yniphora100 years
  51. 51American lobsterHomarus americanus100 years
  52. 52Black oreoAllocyttus niger100 years
  53. 53Yangtze sturgeonAcipenser dabryanus100 years
  54. 54Sperm WhalePhyseter catodon100 years
  55. 55Spiky oreoNeocyttus rhomboidalis100 years
  56. 56Smooth oreoPseudocyttus maculatus100 years
  57. 57Pacific ocean perchSebastes alutus100 years
  58. 58European sturgeonAcipenser sturio100 years
  59. 59Yellowmouth rockfishSebastes reedi99 years
  60. 60Humpback whaleMegaptera novaeangliae95 years
  61. 61TuataraSphenodon punctatus90 years
  62. 62Killer whaleOrcinus orca90 years
  63. 63Atlantic halibutHippoglossus hippoglossus90 years
  64. 64Quillback rockfishSebastes maliger90 years
  65. 65European eelAnguilla anguilla88 years
  66. 66Rosethorn rockfishSebastes helvomaculatus87 years
  67. 67Australian lungfishNeoceratodus forsteri85 years
  68. 68Splitnose rockfishSebastes diploproa84 years
  69. 69Arnoux’s Beaked WhaleBerardius arnuxii84 years
  70. 70Canary rockfishSebastes pinniger84 years
  71. 71Baird’s beaked whaleBerardius bairdii84 years
  72. 72Little Spotted KiwiApteryx owenii83 years
  73. 73Pink cockatooCacatua leadbeateri83 years
  74. 74Silvergray rockfishSebastes brevispinis82 years
  75. 75Painted Terrapin, BiukuBatagur borneoensis80 years
  76. 76African Forest ElephantLoxodonta cyclotis80 years
  77. 77Asiatic elephantElephas maximus79.6 years
  78. 78Andean condorVultur gryphus79 years
  79. 79China rockfishSebastes nebulosus79 years
  80. 80American alligatorAlligator mississippiensis77 years
  81. 81Loggerhead sea turtleCaretta caretta77 years
  82. 82Gray whaleEschrichtius robustus77 years
  83. 83Blanding’s turtleEmydoidea blandingii77 years
  84. 84Sperm whalePhyseter macrocephalus77 years
  85. 85Pacific Ridley; Olive Ridley Sea TurtleLepidochelys olivacea76 years
  86. 86Deepwater redfishSebastes mentella75 years
  87. 87Cuatro Cienegas SliderTrachemys taylori75 years
  88. 88Trachemys venustaTrachemys venusta75 years
  89. 89Spur dogfishSqualus acanthias75 years
  90. 90Green sea turtleChelonia mydas75 years
  91. 91Trachemys callirostrisTrachemys callirostris75 years
  92. 92Yaqui SliderTrachemys yaquia75 years
  93. 93Black-bellied SliderTrachemys dorbigni75 years
  94. 94Shortnose spurdogSqualus megalops75 years
  95. 95Trachemys emolliTrachemys emolli75 years
  96. 96Big Bend SliderTrachemys gaigeae75 years
  97. 97Trachemys grayiTrachemys grayi75 years
  98. 98Giant sea bassStereolepis gigas75 years
  99. 99Trachemys nebulosaTrachemys nebulosa75 years
  100. 100Ornate SliderTrachemys ornata75 years
Showing 20 of 100 species

Interpretation

How to read this ranking

Maximum is not average

A species can have a high maximum record while most individuals live substantially shorter lives.

Records are source-dependent

Longevity values reflect the underlying dataset records available for a species and should be read with their evidence context.

Missing stays missing

Species without a recorded maximum-longevity value are not assigned an estimated value to fill the ranking.

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