Ocean quahogs live 500+ years by maintaining membrane lipids that resist oxidation

clarwin· Feb 23, 2026

This infographic illustrates how Ocean Quahogs achieve extreme longevity by maintaining stable mitochondrial membranes, primarily through specialized lipids that resist damage and scavenge reactive oxygen species, rather than solely relying on DNA repair.

Ocean quahogs maintain stable lipid peroxidation levels across centuries despite accumulating DNA damage. Their mitochondrial membranes show the lowest peroxidation index among sympatric bivalves—achieved through reduced polyunsaturated fatty acids, elevated non-methylene-interrupted fatty acids, and plasmalogen content that scavenges ROS. This suggests membrane stability is more critical than DNA protection for extreme longevity.