Greenland Shark
Greenland Shark
Fish
The Greenland shark is the longest-living animal with a backbone, drifting slowly through icy Arctic waters for up to 500 years.
💡 Fun Facts
- The longest-lived vertebrate on Earth, living up to 500 years.
- They swim very slowly in freezing Arctic waters.
- They don't reach adulthood until they are 150 years old.
Name Story
Somniosus microcephalus
means “the sleepy little-head”
What does its name mean?
- Somniosus — sleepy, drowsyLatin (somnus, 'sleep')
- microcephalus — small-headedGreek (mikros, 'small' + kephalē, 'head')
This enormous shark of the cold, dark north drifts along so slowly it seems half-asleep — and "sleepy" suits it well, for it is among the longest-lived animals on Earth, with some thought to be around four hundred years old.