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3. What are the oldest living animals in the world?

**What are the oldest living animals in the world?**  Studies show that **some corals can live for up to 5,000 years**, making them the longest living animals on Earth. Some corals can live for up to 5,000 years, making them the longest living animals on Earth.*Some corals can live for up to 5,000 years, making them the longest living animals on Earth.*  Scientific studies  of elkhorn coral *(Acropora palmata)* in the  Caribbean and off the coast of Florida show that coral genotypes can survive longer than expected. Genotype refers  to the genetic makeup of an organism. Scientists  are now using a genetic approach to estimate the ages of corals. The method  determines when a coral egg and sperm originally met to form the genome of a coral colony. The researchers then track the  number of mutations that have accumulated in the genome since that time.  Because mutations tend to arise at a relatively constant rate, researchers can  estimate the approximate age of the coral genomes in their study. These  studies can help clarify how corals will respond to current and future  environmental changes. Though corals can be resilient and live for thousands of  years, elkhorn  corals are listed as threatened under the U.S.  Endangered Species Act. The corals have suffered recent population declines,  indicating that there are limits to how much change even these resilient creatures  can handle.
 **Did you know?** *People often mistake corals for plants or even rocks, but corals actually consist of colonies of living invertebrate animals.*  More **Information** Are corals animals or plants? What is a coral reef made of? Corals much older than previously thought,  study finds   Get **Social** Social
  **Last updated:** 08/24/23 **Author:** NOAA How to cite this article Contact Us


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