This may be the oldest living animals from around the world

                     
                 Sea sponge: the animal is 3.5 meters wide and over two meters high

São Paulo - Scientists may have found the oldest living animal on Earth. You will probably not hit what kind of animal would have the title of most elderly of our planet. It is a giant sea sponge inhabiting remote waters of Hawaii.

The discovery was published in the journal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The animal, which is about the size of a minivan, was discovered during an exploration in the archipelago.

Although the estimates, the researchers are not yet able to say precisely how old sponge. "The old [sponge] is probably on the order of centuries to millennia," said Daniel Wagner, one of the authors of the study, the British newspaper Guardian.

Scientists point in the research that other large sponges, found in shallower water, had estimated life of 2300 years - the species in question was found to be about 2,100 meters deep.

According to the study, the animal is about 3.5 meters wide and over two meters high. It was discovered a year ago in the National Monument Marine Papahanaumokuakea, the largest marine conservation area in the United States by researchers operating a vehicle away. "More than 98% of the Monument area is 100 meters deep, that is impossible for us to just dive scuba," explains Wagner.

Also according to the scientist, about seven thousand marine species live there. "Only in this expedition we came back with more than 100 new species. So there are probably many other things down there, "he concludes.

You can watch the progress of the live operation during dives and scheduled missions here.