Eye lens radiocarbon reveals centuries of longevity in the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus)

Julius Nielsen; Rasmus B. Hedeholm; Jan Heinemeier; Peter G. Bushnell; Jorgen S. Christiansen; Jesper Olsen; Christopher Bronk Ramsey; Richard W. Brill; Malene Simon; Kirstine F. Steffensen; John F. Steffensen

doi:10.1126/science.aaf1703

Eye lens radiocarbon reveals centuries of longevity in the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus)

Julius Nielsen^*, Rasmus B. Hedeholm, Jan Heinemeier, Peter G. Bushnell, Jorgen S. Christiansen, Jesper Olsen, Christopher Bronk Ramsey, Richard W. Brill, Malene Simon, Kirstine F. Steffensen, John F. Steffensen

^*Corresponding author af dette arbejde

Institut for Fysik og Astronomi

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift/Konferencebidrag i tidsskrift /Bidrag til avis › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review

231 Citationer (Scopus)

Abstract

The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus), an iconic species of the Arctic Seas, grows slowly and reaches >500 centimeters (cm) in total length, suggesting a life span well beyond those of other vertebrates. Radiocarbon dating of eye lens nuclei from 28 female Greenland sharks (81 to 502 cm in total length) revealed a life span of at least 272 years. Only the smallest sharks (220 cm or less) showed signs of the radiocarbon bomb pulse, a time marker of the early 1960s. The age ranges of prebomb sharks (reported as midpoint and extent of the 95.4% probability range) revealed the age at sexual maturity to be at least 156 ± 22 years, and the largest animal (502 cm) to be 392 ± 120 years old. Our results show that the Greenland shark is the longest-lived vertebrate known, and they raise concerns about species conservation.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Tidsskrift	Science
Vol/bind	353
Nummer	6300
Sider (fra-til)	702-704
Antal sider	3
ISSN	0036-8075
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaf1703
Status	Udgivet - 12 aug. 2016

Adgang til dokumentet

10.1126/science.aaf1703

Citationsformater

@article{6dead7a770b34e9d92b22231ff6ae179,

title = "Eye lens radiocarbon reveals centuries of longevity in the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus)",

abstract = "The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus), an iconic species of the Arctic Seas, grows slowly and reaches >500 centimeters (cm) in total length, suggesting a life span well beyond those of other vertebrates. Radiocarbon dating of eye lens nuclei from 28 female Greenland sharks (81 to 502 cm in total length) revealed a life span of at least 272 years. Only the smallest sharks (220 cm or less) showed signs of the radiocarbon bomb pulse, a time marker of the early 1960s. The age ranges of prebomb sharks (reported as midpoint and extent of the 95.4% probability range) revealed the age at sexual maturity to be at least 156 ± 22 years, and the largest animal (502 cm) to be 392 ± 120 years old. Our results show that the Greenland shark is the longest-lived vertebrate known, and they raise concerns about species conservation.",

keywords = "POST-BOMB RADIOCARBON, FEEDING ECOLOGY, NORTHWEST ATLANTIC, AGE VALIDATION, LAMNA-NASUS, PRE-BOMB, FOOD-WEB, CALIBRATION, OTOLITHS, DELTA-N-15",

author = "Julius Nielsen and Hedeholm, {Rasmus B.} and Jan Heinemeier and Bushnell, {Peter G.} and Christiansen, {Jorgen S.} and Jesper Olsen and Ramsey, {Christopher Bronk} and Brill, {Richard W.} and Malene Simon and Steffensen, {Kirstine F.} and Steffensen, {John F.}",

year = "2016",

month = aug,

day = "12",

doi = "10.1126/science.aaf1703",

language = "English",

volume = "353",

pages = "702--704",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",

number = "6300",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Eye lens radiocarbon reveals centuries of longevity in the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus)

AU - Nielsen, Julius

AU - Hedeholm, Rasmus B.

AU - Heinemeier, Jan

AU - Bushnell, Peter G.

AU - Christiansen, Jorgen S.

AU - Olsen, Jesper

AU - Ramsey, Christopher Bronk

AU - Brill, Richard W.

AU - Simon, Malene

AU - Steffensen, Kirstine F.

AU - Steffensen, John F.

PY - 2016/8/12

Y1 - 2016/8/12

N2 - The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus), an iconic species of the Arctic Seas, grows slowly and reaches >500 centimeters (cm) in total length, suggesting a life span well beyond those of other vertebrates. Radiocarbon dating of eye lens nuclei from 28 female Greenland sharks (81 to 502 cm in total length) revealed a life span of at least 272 years. Only the smallest sharks (220 cm or less) showed signs of the radiocarbon bomb pulse, a time marker of the early 1960s. The age ranges of prebomb sharks (reported as midpoint and extent of the 95.4% probability range) revealed the age at sexual maturity to be at least 156 ± 22 years, and the largest animal (502 cm) to be 392 ± 120 years old. Our results show that the Greenland shark is the longest-lived vertebrate known, and they raise concerns about species conservation.

AB - The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus), an iconic species of the Arctic Seas, grows slowly and reaches >500 centimeters (cm) in total length, suggesting a life span well beyond those of other vertebrates. Radiocarbon dating of eye lens nuclei from 28 female Greenland sharks (81 to 502 cm in total length) revealed a life span of at least 272 years. Only the smallest sharks (220 cm or less) showed signs of the radiocarbon bomb pulse, a time marker of the early 1960s. The age ranges of prebomb sharks (reported as midpoint and extent of the 95.4% probability range) revealed the age at sexual maturity to be at least 156 ± 22 years, and the largest animal (502 cm) to be 392 ± 120 years old. Our results show that the Greenland shark is the longest-lived vertebrate known, and they raise concerns about species conservation.

KW - POST-BOMB RADIOCARBON

KW - FEEDING ECOLOGY

KW - NORTHWEST ATLANTIC

KW - AGE VALIDATION

KW - LAMNA-NASUS

KW - PRE-BOMB

KW - FOOD-WEB

KW - CALIBRATION

KW - OTOLITHS

KW - DELTA-N-15

U2 - 10.1126/science.aaf1703

DO - 10.1126/science.aaf1703

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 27516602

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 353

SP - 702

EP - 704

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6300

ER -

Eye lens radiocarbon reveals centuries of longevity in the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus)

Abstract

Adgang til dokumentet

Fingeraftryk

Citationsformater