X-Message-Number: 30826
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:06:59 -0700 (PDT)
From: 
Subject: natural "non-engineered" negligible senescence

Exp Gerontol. 2008 May 4. [Epub ahead of print]
Longevity and lack of senescence in the red sea urchin Strongylocentrotus
franciscanus.
    Ebert TA. Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, Corvallis,
OR 97324, USA.
    The red sea urchin Strongylocentrotus franciscanus is a long-lived
species and may live in excess of 100 years based on tagging studies in
the field and corroboration from radiocarbon analyses as reported in the
literature. Size-specific survival estimates reported here show no change
in annual survival probability across the 6 largest 0.5cm size classes
from 14.6 to 18.1cm. In addition to no change in survival probability
there is no reduction in reproductive capacity with size. Red sea urchins
show no evidence of senescence and so do not fit well within the context
of the disposable soma theory of the evolution of longevity.
PMID: 18550313

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