'Water monster' resides in the Arizona desert for 100 years, 'overcoming' a weakness of women?

According to Interesting Engineering, in 2024, scientists discovered interesting facts about a species of fish that can live for more than 100 years in a lake in the middle of the American desert, despite the harsh living conditions there.

These fish are found in oases, streams and other bodies of water in the desert. They survive in isolated conditions and thrive thanks to their ability to adapt to the harsh conditions of the desert.

Over the years, researchers at the University of Minnesota have been diligently studying species of the genus Ictiobus, including the large-lipped buffalo, small-lipped buffalo, and black buffalo.

Surveys and experiments have shown that these fish not only survive in harsh environmental conditions but also have incredible longevity. Many have even surpassed all limits of vertebrate aging.

It all started when some fishermen came across strange orange and black spots on the bodies of many buffalo fish in Apache Reservoir, in the Arizona desert, where living conditions are extremely harsh.

The fishermen couldn't contain their curiosity and contacted ichthyologist Alec Lackmann from the University of Minnesota to conduct a scientific analysis. The team analyzed otoliths - "ear stones" inside the fish's skull. Similar to tree rings, otoliths grow in layers each year, allowing scientists to accurately determine the age of the fish through a microscope.

The analysis revealed that some of the first buffalo fish released into the Upper Apache Lake area were alive as early as 1918. The team compared archival records and found that the fish were originally raised in hatcheries and ponds along the Mississippi River in the Midwest, and were then released into the lake by the government in 1918.

Expanding on their research, the team found that more than 90% of the buffalo fish in Apache Lake lived to be over 85 years old. In addition to Apache Lake, in 2019 the team discovered a largemouth buffalo fish that lived to be 112 years old in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota.

In January 2023, the research team continued to discover a largemouth buffalo fish in Saskatchewan (Canada) that lived to be 127 years old. The team believes that this is one of the longest-lived freshwater fish species that still exists today.

Buffalo fish are native to central North America. They can grow to over 4 feet (1.2 meters) in length and weigh up to 60 pounds (29 kilograms). Previously, many researchers believed that buffalo fish would only live to about 30 years old. Now, Lackmann and his colleagues are continuing to monitor largemouth buffalo fish, focusing on studying their DNA, physiology, resistance to infection, and comparing biological systems over time.

One of the initial findings was that as fish age, they exhibit a more efficient immune system and respond better to stress.

Older buffalo fish were less stressed and had better resistance to bacteria. Their blood levels of neutrophils and lymphocytes were low, a sign of low stress levels.

In addition, the harsh environment makes it difficult for them to reproduce, requiring them to live long lives to compensate for the long periods of non-reproduction. In Saskatchewan, for example, buffalo fish have been known to live up to 50 years without laying eggs. In addition, the lakes where buffalo fish live are less exploited commercially, which also contributes to their stable life.

Despite living 'alone' in harsh living conditions, some animals reveal 'secrets' about their living habits that surprise people. For example, bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are social animals, usually living in groups. However, in September 2019, a lone dolphin, named "Delle", began appearing in Denmark's Svenborgsundsung Strait. This is an area outside the species' natural habitat and there are no other dolphins in the area.

A team of researchers at the University of Southern Denmark, led by biologist Olga Filatova, set up underwater recording equipment to monitor the sounds "Delle" made. Initially, they only expected to record a few vague whistles. However, the results far exceeded their expectations.

Over 69 days, from December 8, 2022 to February 14, 2023, the recording device collected 10,833 different sounds from "Delle", including: 2,291 whistles, 2,288 pulse trains, 5,487 low-frequency sounds, 767 water balloon sounds.

Among the most notable are three distinctive whistles, often called “signature whistles.” These are personalized sounds that are like “names” for individual dolphins. “If we didn’t know that Delle lived alone, we would have thought there were at least three dolphins involved in the communication,” Filatova said.

One theory is that "Delle" makes the sound to comfort herself or as an unconscious response to emotions, similar to the way humans laugh when no one is around.

It is also possible that "Delle" was trying to attract the attention of other dolphins. However, this is unlikely because the dolphin had lived in this area for more than three years without encountering any of its own kind.

Experts like Thea Taylor, director of the Sussex Dolphin Project, say the results aren’t too surprising. Dolphins use sound not only to hunt and navigate, but also to communicate over long distances. But the fact that a lone dolphin repeatedly emitted communication sounds is remarkable. Taylor suggests that these sounds may be unconscious emotional signals, revealing the potential for using dolphin communication to learn more about their natural behavior and emotions.

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