Methuselah (lungfish)
| Species | Neoceratodus forsteri |
|---|---|
| Sex | Unknown; suspected female |
| Known for | Oldest living fish in captivity |
| Residence | Steinhart Aquarium, San Francisco |
Methuselah is an individual Australian lungfish known for being the oldest living fish in captivity as of 2023.[1]
Life
[edit]Methuselah arrived at San Francisco's Steinhart Aquarium on November 6, 1938.[2] She was transported from Australia in the cargo hull of a Matson liner steamship, alongside 231 other fish from Australia and Fiji. At the time of her arrival, she was already grown, and estimated to be at least 7 years old.[3][4] She was first mentioned in the San Francisco Chronicle in 1947.[5] She was joined by another lungfish, named after Herb Caen, in 1952[6] or 1958.[2]
She was given the name Methuselah by Steinhart Aquarium director John McCosker in 1988, after spending 50 years at the aquarium.[7] Due to damage incurred in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the original Steinhart Aquarium was torn down in 2005. Along with the aquarium's other lungfish, Methuselah was moved to a temporary home on Howard Street, until a new aquarium building was opened in 2008.[6] During her stay at the temporary home, Methuselah jumped out of her tank and stayed outside for an hour before being discovered, leading to a nylon jump guard later being installed at the top of the tank.[3]
Age
[edit]In 2017, Methuselah was unofficially designated as the oldest living aquarium fish following the death of Granddad, another Australian lungfish residing at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, then estimated to be 95 years old.[8] A later study estimated Granddad to have been 109 years old at the time of his death.[9]
Genetic testing was performed on Methuselah in 2023 to estimate her age by measuring DNA methylation from a sample of her fins.[8] The study estimated her to be between 92 and 101 years old at the time, far upwards of her previously estimated age of 84.[4] By comparison, the aquarium's two other lungfish were found to be 54 and 50 years old.[8] While similar in appearance to them, Methuselah has developed a comparatively lighter coloration over time, although it is not known whether this is due to aging.[1]
Description
[edit]Methuselah measures 4 feet (1.2 m) in length and weighs 40 pounds (18 kg) as of 2022.[5]
As Australian lungfish are not sexually dimorphic, Methuselah's biological sex has not been determined with certainty. She is suspected to be female based on behavioral cues.[1]
Methuselah's personality has been described as "mellow" by her handler. She was also noted to like belly and back rubs, as well as fresh figs.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Gammon, Katharine (2023-09-24). "Methuselah arrived in the US in 1938. She's now the oldest fish in captivity". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ^ a b Caen, Herb (September 19, 1994). "The Rambling Wreck: [FINAL Edition]". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
- ^ a b Hartlaub, Peter (January 18, 2022). "The oldest aquarium fish in the world lives in San Francisco. She likes belly rubs". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
- ^ a b Osborne, Margaret. "Methuselah, the World's Oldest Living Aquarium Fish, Could Be More Than 100". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ^ a b c "Methuselah: oldest aquarium fish lives in San Francisco and likes belly rubs". The Guardian. 2022-01-26. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ^ a b Hartlaub, Peter (4 December 2013). "Old Steinhart Aquarium exhibits evoke memories". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
- ^ Rubenstein, Steve (19 November 2003). "65 years in tank at Steinhart / An old-timer in S.F. has a birthday party". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-10-13.
- ^ a b c Karlamangla, Soumya (2023-09-18). "Meet Methuselah, the World's Oldest Living Aquarium Fish". New York Times. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ^ Mayne, Benjamin; Espinoza, Tom; Roberts, David (2022-06-21). "Tell Us a Story Granddad: Age and Origin of an Iconic Australian Lungfish". Frontiers in Environmental Science. 10. doi:10.3389/fenvs.2022.931467. ISSN 2296-665X. Retrieved 2024-10-12.