Ming ( 1499–2006), also known as Hafrún, was an

ocean quahog The ocean quahog (''Arctica islandica'') is a species of edible clam, a marine bivalve mollusk in the family Arcticidae. This species is native to the North Atlantic Ocean, and it is harvested commercially as a food source. This species is ...

clam ('' Arctica islandica'', family

Arcticidae The Arcticidae are a family of marine clams in the order Venerida. The only living species in the family is ''Arctica islandica''. There are also many fossil species classified in a number of genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank ...

) that was dredged off the coast of Iceland in 2006 and whose age was calculated by counting annual growth lines in the shell. Ming was the oldest individual (non-

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) animal ever discovered whose age could be precisely determined. Thought to be 405 years old, Ming was later determined to be 507 years old, although the clam had previously been killed to make this determination. The size of the clam was 87 mm × 73 mm.

Name

The clam was initially named Ming by ''

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'' journalists, in reference to the Ming dynasty, during which it was born. Later, the Icelandic researchers on the cruise which discovered the clam named it Hafrún, a woman's name which translates roughly as 'the mystery of the ocean'; taken from , 'ocean', and , 'mystery'). The actual sex of the clam, however, is unknown, as its reproductive state was recorded as "spent".

Original discovery

The clam was dredged off the northern coast of Iceland in 2006. In 2007, on the basis of counting the annual growth bands on the cross-sectional surface of the

hinge A hinge is a mechanical bearing that connects two solid objects, typically allowing only a limited angle of rotation between them. Two objects connected by an ideal hinge rotate relative to each other about a fixed axis of rotation: all other ...

region of the shell, researchers announced that the clam was 405 years old. The research was carried out by researchers from

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. In the process the clam died. Professor Richardson said that the existence of such long-lived species could help scientists discover how some animals reach such advanced ages. The mollusc's long life came to an end in 2006 when the researchers – unaware of the animal's exceptional age – froze the specimen, killing it.

Revision of age

In 2013, another assessment of the age of the clam was carried out counting bands which were measured on the sectioned surface of the outer shell margin and this was verified by comparing the banding patterns with those on other shells that were alive at the same time; this confirmed that the clam was 507 years old when it was caught. The revised age estimate is also supported by carbon-14 dating; marine biologist Rob Witbaard commented that he considers this second assessment accurate to within 1–2 years.

References

{{Reflist Individual molluscs 1499 animal births 2006 animal deaths Arcticidae Individual wild animals Oldest animals Clams

Name

Original discovery

Revision of age

See also

References