Meet Longevity Buffalofish, Who Can Live More Than A Century

Historically believed to live up to 26 years in the wild, a groundbreaking discovery in 2019 identified a centenarian buffalofish in Minnesota. A recent study has now confirmed that three buffalofish species from Apache Lake, Arizona, can live for more than a century—potentially many more years based on their health. This makes them the second animal genus, after the marine rockfish Sebastes, known to have multiple species living past a century. Published in Nature’s Scientific Reports in October, these findings might revolutionize buffalofish population management across North America and stimulate experimental anti-aging research.

To determine the fish's ages, researchers examined otoliths, stone-like structures in the ears of 97% of fish species. Alec Lackmann, an ichthyologist at the University of Minnesota Duluth and lead author of the study, highlighted the significance of otoliths for age analysis. "What’s really interesting about otoliths, and what makes them so valuable for age analysis, is that they put down rings as they go through slow growth periods," says Lackmann. The team analyzed thin sections of otoliths and cross-checked their findings with radiocarbon dating, revealing signs corresponding to historical events and environmental changes.

The smallmouth buffalofish in the lake ranged from 11 to 101 years old; the black buffalofish were 106 to 108 years old; and the bigmouth buffalofish were 85 to 105 years old. Remarkably, these fish, introduced to Arizona waters in 1918, exemplify the longevity of species far removed from their native environment.

Jeff Sereda, a manager of ecological and habitat assessment in Saskatchewan, expressed excitement about the study's novelty. "I found the new study very exciting and novel in that it was the first to look at multiple species of buffalofish," says Sereda. He emphasized the impact of previous assumptions about buffalofish populations' stability and reproduction rates. The excessively old fish raise concerns about declining reproduction, akin to declining birth rates in Japan, potentially indicating a population at risk of decline.

Buffalofish reproductive behavior remains poorly understood, with limited evidence of new young buffalofish in Saskatchewan in 40 years. Despite not spawning young, buffalofish maintain fertility through old age. Sereda noted, "We don’t know what the fishes’ actual upper limit for age is," underscoring the need for further research to unravel these mysteries.

Buffalofish are classified as a "special concern" in Canada due to limited data. In the US, some species have special conservation statuses, like bigmouth buffalofish, listed as endangered in Pennsylvania. Scientists are fascinated by the mystery surrounding buffalofish, which makes them want to investigate other buffalofish species in the future in an effort to solve the genetic riddles and possibly advance our knowledge of vertebrate aging processes. The world of buffalofish is undoubtedly fascinating and ripe for exploration.