----- Original Message -----
From: "Rick Harbo" <[log in to unmask]>
To: "Mark C. Hove" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, December 28, 2000 1:47 PM
Subject: Re: mollusca Long-lived mollusk question


> You should read the excellent recent article on bowhead whales (may be the
> longest living animals- more than 200 years old) with refs to Scientific
> literature, in the magazine EQUINOX September 2000.
>
> I have published data for Pacific geoduck clams, commonly more than 100
> years old, with the oldest sample aged to 146 years old. Recent samples
> (unpublished) have been aged greater than 150 years.
>
> The Guiness Book of World Records has in the past listed the oldest animal
> as the Atlantic quohaug clam, with estmated ages to 220 years. By
> comparison, elephants are the oldest living terrestial mammal (50 to 70
> years) and the giant tortoise live to 150 years.
>
> Rick Harbo
> Fisheries and Oceans Canada
> Nanaimo, B.C. Canada
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mark C. Hove" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Cc: "Susan J Weller" <[log in to unmask]>; "Rebecca B Simmons"
> <[log in to unmask]>; "Matt Scott"
> <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Tuesday, December 26, 2000 7:38 AM
> Subject: mollusca Long-lived mollusk question
>
>
> > I was reading a magazine for children (Ranger Rick, Nov. 2000) with
> > my kids recently and found an article on one of the world's
> > longest-living animals - the "ocean clam". The article says these
> > mollusks live along the Atlantic coast from Newfoundland to North
> > Carolina. Apparently the animals are slow-growing, mature between
> > 25-30 years, are harvested by people, and may live up to 220 years.
> > Would someone please share more information with me about this
> > organism (e.g. species, a reference or two). I'm potentially
> > interested in using this information in my outreach efforts.
> >
> > Thank you,
> >
> > Mark Hove
> > Bell Museum of Natural History
> > Univ. of Minnesota
> >
> >
>