Siberian Whiskered Bat: this species can live to be more than 40 years old, making it the longest-living bat species in the world
The scientific name of this species is Myotis sibiricus, but it's commonly known as the Siberian whiskered bat. This species has the longest lifespan of any bat in the world, with some individuals living to be more than 40 years old.
In 1964, a Siberian whiskered bat was captured, tagged, and released by researchers in the Biryusa region of Siberia, and the exact same bat was later recaptured by another team of scientists in 2005; that specimen was at least 41 years old at the time, making it the oldest bat on record. The previous record-holder was another Siberian bat that was at least 38 years old at the time of its capture.
Above: a Siberian whiskered bat
This species was originally identified as a subspecies of the Brandt's bat, Myotis brandtii, but genetic studies now confirm that it actually represents its own distinct species.
The genus Myotis contains several other species that have been known to live for more than 20 years, but the Siberian whiskered bat has an exceptionally long lifespan, especially compared to other small mammals.
The longevity of this species (and other long-living bats) defies our conventional understanding of the relationship between an animal's size and its lifespan. Smaller animals typically have a much shorter lifespan compared to larger animals, because they have higher metabolic demands, and these bats are a rare exception to that rule.
In fact, the Siberian whiskered bat has the longest lifespan of any mammal relative to its size, with its tiny body weighing just 4-8 grams (that's roughly the weight of 2-3 pennies).
Above: Siberian whiskered bats roosting in a cave
Research suggests that the bats' increased longevity could be linked to a mutation in two of the genes that are related to growth.
As this article describes:
Genes for two proteins involved in growth — called growth hormone receptor (GHR) and insulinlike growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) — showed changes that also appear among other long-lived bat species. Previous studies in mice and other animals suggest genetic changes in GHR and IGF1R are linked with longevity. For instance, mice with mutations in GHR live twice as long as normal mice.
These same genetic changes also may be responsible for the bats' small size.
Above: more photos of Myotis sibiricus
There are several other factors that could also contribute:
The bats also hibernate and roost in caves — behaviors that may help them avoid predators and extreme weather conditions, and contribute to their longer lifespan. They also take a relatively long time to reach maturity, and they do not produce many offspring — two characteristics seen in larger, longer-living mammals.
Above: Siberian whiskered bats
Some articles on this topic still describe the world's longest-living bat as the Brandt's bat, but that claim is based on the outdated assumption that Myotis sibiricus is simply a subspecies of Myotis brandtii. These bats are now recognized as two separate species, which means that Myotis sibiricus is actually the oldest bat species on record.
Above: the floofy face of Myotis sibiricus
This is a corrected version of a post that I published about 2 years ago, with more information, photos, and sources.
Bat Conservation International: Long Live Bats
Cell Metabolism: The World Goes Bats: Living Longer and Tolerating Viruses
Plazi Treatment Bank: Myotis sibiricus
Entomological Review: Ectoparasite Fauna of the Siberian Bat (PDF)
Science: Growing Old, Yet Staying Young: The Role of Telomeres in Bats’ Exceptional Longevity
Bat Conservation International: Myotis brandtii
The Journals of Gerontology: A New Field Record for Bat Longevity
Nature: Genome Analysis Reveals Insights into Physiology and Longevity of the Brandt's Bat
New Scientist: Gene Clues May Explain Why Brandt's Bat Lives So Long
Nature: DNA Methylation Predicts Age and Provides Insight Into Exceptional Longevity of Bats
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