The researchers looked at three species that they said were not commonly targeted for commercial or recreational fishing in Western Australia Australia and the Chagos Archipelago in the Central Indian Ocean. Species include red bass, midnight snapper and black and white snapper.
The 1-year-old Midnight Snapper was identified along with 10 other fish over the age of 60, aged 790, including a ley-year-old red bass, which was also caught in the Rolly Shoals – an area spread over three coral reefs on the edge of Australia. Continental shelf.
Marine scientists have determined the age of fish by dissecting them and studying their ear bones or autoliths, which have annual growth bands that resemble tree rings.
Fish biologist Brett Taylor, who led the study, said Midnight Snapper beat the previous record holder two decades ago.
“By far, the oldest fish we find in shallow, tropical waters is about 60 years old,” he said.
“We’ve identified two different species here that are becoming octogenarian, and probably older.”
Taylor said the research will help scientists understand how the length and age of fish will be affected by climate change.
“We are observing fish with different water temperatures – at different latitudes – to better understand how they can react when temperatures are warming everywhere,” he said.
The octogenarian fish is not the only ancient sea-animal to survive.
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