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Methuselah is no ordinary fish , and this month , she ’s swimming into her 80th twelvemonth as a resident of the California Academy of Sciences ' Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco .
The matured , 4 - groundwork - long ( 1.2 measure ) Pisces the Fishes came to the fish tank from Australia in 1938 when she was already adult size , so expert estimate she ’s between 85 and 90 years old . That likely make her the world ’s oldest Pisces in captivity .
fittingly named after thelongest - living biblical figure(in the Christian Bible , Methuselah lived to be 969 years old ) , it ’s not just Methuselah ’s age that makes her stand out . As an Australian lungfish ( Neoceratodus fosteri ) , she be one of only six living metal money of airwave - breathing lungfish , which belong to the family Sarcopterygii . [ pic : The Freakiest Looking Pisces ]
Thisancient grouping of freshwater fishhas been around for 400 million year and is characterize by a singular swimming bladder that not only master buoyancy but also functions as a rude lung that allows the Pisces the Fishes to emit air .
Besides Australian lungfish , there are also African lungfish and South American lungfish . The two latter groups are known toburrow in the clay and breathe airfor month at a time when their pond disappear in the dry season . And , they sometimesuse their four Little Phoebe to " walk"to another pond .
So , what ’s the secret to Methuselah ’s seniority ?
" I want to say it ’s my care , but it ’s not — it ’s genetics , " said Allan Jan , senior life scientist and Methuselah ’s primary caretaker at the Steinhart Aquarium .
Lungfish are long - lived species . The former record for theoldest captive fishwas hold by Granddad , a lungfish at Chicago ’s Shedd Aquarium , who go in 2017 at the age of 84 .
Although she ’s genetically programmed for a farsighted life , Methuselah also has a few trait that may contribute to her endurance .
For example , she has always had a good for you appetite , Jan say . " She eats everything that I offer her , and she eats the most . " And although she ’s not picky , she ’s refined her palate over the age so that her favorite foods are prawn and figs , Jan said .
Similar to many of us , Methuselah alsohas a preference for sure mass . Jan said he ’s had many volunteers who need to prey Methuselah over the years , but despite her healthy appetite , there are a few people she simply refuses to take food for thought from .
Jan has also find out that the octogenarian fishprefers the calmness tranquilityof her pocket-size cooler as oppose to the larger tank car where the Steinhart Aquarium ’s other two lungfish reside — both are about half Methuselah ’s eld .
When Methuselah was localize in the larger armoured combat vehicle , with more blank space and increased urine flow , she answer by resting upside down , on her back . Jan and his colleagues never figured out why Methuselah insisted on herbelly - up attitude , but once they moved her back to her smaller tankful , she flip right-hand - side up and " was absolutely all right , " Jan said . " It was n’t a [ wellness ] panic attack , but we did n’t require to concern the public . "
During her eight 10 at the aquarium , Methuselah has seen millions of visitor , who have been delighted by her big size and unusual appearance .
Although these living fossils look like formidable armored fighter , the lungfish arereally just big softies , Jan said . Methuselah and the other lungfish enjoy frequent belly rubs and head scratches , just like " underwater pup , " he said .
Australian lungfish are believe a protect species , according to theAustralian Museum . The species can be catch only with a particular permission and export is stringently influence .
Methuselah serves as an important ambassador for her idle counterpart , whose populations are struggling from homo - caused habitat loss , Jan say , and he bets she ’ll continue do so for twelvemonth to get along .
in the beginning write onLive scientific discipline .
