This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Marine scientists have been amazed to discover an endangered sea cucumber can live for decades, with some animals living more than 100 years, in a first-of-its-kind genetic mark-recapture study. Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) Senior Principal Research Scientist Dr.
Sven Uthicke said the findings suggested black teatfish sea cucumber populations recover much more slowly than previously thought and that this had implications for commercial fishery catch limits. Black teatfish is a highly valued delicacy in some cultures and is fished in Australia, the Pacific Islands and Southeast Asia. Sold for more than AU$400 per kg in Hong Kong, they are now seldom seen in Asian markets as wild stocks have been overfished.
They can be found throughout the Great Barrier Reef, and their distribution extends to Western Australia. Sea cucumbers play an important role in tropical marine ecosystems, recycling nutrients on the ocean floor and mixing sediment. Recent studies also show healthy sea cucumber populations can enhance coral health.
The researchers made the discovery by comparing DNA samples from a population collected in a no-take zone of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in 2000 with samples collected from the same location 24 years later. A small biopsy was taken from each animal, and the animals were returned to where they were taken. Modeling was used to estimate their lifespan.
The study is published in the journal iScience. "We had a hunch that they could get older than the 10 years that was commonly thought," Dr. "We collected 55 animals to sample and thought if we find three that were the same individuals as 24 years ago, that would be amazing.
"In fact, we found 60% (33) were the same as those sampled in 2000, and that really was a surprise. It shows adult black teatfish have extreme longevity and very low natural death rates. "We found they live for at least 24 to 27 years on average, while some live for more than 100 years.
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