A clam dredged up off the coast of Iceland is thought to be more than 400 years old.

The clam, nicknamed Ming, is thought to be the longest-lived animal ever discovered. It is named after the Chinese dynasty in power when it was born.

Scientists said the mollusc, an ocean quahog clam, was aged between 405 and 410 years.

Researchers in north Wales said they calculated its age by counting rings on its shell.

The clam was in its infancy when Queen Elizabeth I was on the throne and Shakespeare was writing his plays.

The clam's discovery could help shed light on how some animals can live to extraordinary ages.
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Wow, i bet that clam is worth a few clams.

I guess from what it said they killed it when they dredged it up. That is sad who knows how long it would have lived if they had left it be.

Yes, it's always sad when animals die. But they do die. It happens.

Science marches on, the human quest for knowledge is among our strongest urges. I'm sad this creature died, but I understand why it happened.

Wow. o_o 400 years old? That's incredible...now I'm feeling really young, even though I'm not a clam. But seriously, a clam over 400 years old? How did it survive for such a long time? I thought clams could only live to be around 150, like green sea turtles.

Over 400 years old??

That's a lot of candles on the cake

Awww, no piccy, that's a shame.

What a cool little fella, 400 years old.

Usually when clams are dredged, they don't die, as most clams are sold alive at the fish markets, so hopefully, he's still alive and kicking? but it does say he 'was' 405-410 years, so I think they're talking past tense, so he probably snuffed it, bless 'im.

I wonder what 400-year old clam would taste like. My guess is like old people food. <---*hates clam anyway*

They're delicious, actually. Akin to spotted owl, or black-footed ferrets...................

Poor ferrets, some of my favourite animals.

Wow... 400 years old! hmmm... GET THE GENE! insert it to your gene pool! hahaha.. but it's amazing after all these years..

they never actually said that it died, simply that they dredged it up, i spelt that wrong didnt i anyway, the reason they are speakin past tense is because of the fact that it happened before they did the report. either that or because time keeps moving, so like it WAS 415 years old because now its 415 & 1/365 years old? lol i hope its alive, cause then it will keep on growing, the reason this creature is still alive is because it didnt have any human contact, so it was able to thrive, i bet if humans didnt exist then animals would live like 100 years, after all we put so much pollution and crap into the air that its just sickening.

Here's an article with a pic.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7066389.stm

Not as big as I thought it would be, and I'm pretty sure it's dead now.

thanks for the link. it was full of information.

That really sucks for a clam. Just seems like kind of a let-down after 410 years.

"The clam was in its infancy when Queen Elizabeth I was on the throne ... "

Now, was that necessary?
I mean, did they HAVE to mention Queen Elizabeth's bathroom habits in connection with this clam's age?
I don't think sooooooooo!
Sheesh!
I just don't get the connection. <grumble>