Abstract

Various environmental morphological and behavioral factors can determine the longevity of representatives of various taxa. Long-lived species develop systems aimed at increasing organism stability, defense, and, ultimately, lifespan. Long-lived species to a different extent manifest the factors favoring longevity (gerontological success), such as body size, slow metabolism, activity of body’s repair and antioxidant defense systems, resistance to toxic substances and tumorigenesis, and presence of neotenic features. In continuation of our studies of mammals, we investigated the characteristics that distinguish long-lived ectotherms (crocodiles and turtles) and compared them with those of other ectotherms (squamates and amphibians) and endotherms (birds and mammals). We also discussed mathematical indicators used to assess the predisposition to longevity in different species, including standard indicators (mortality rate, maximum lifespan, coefficient of variation of lifespan) and their derivatives. Evolutionary patterns of aging are further explained by the protective phenotypes and life history strategies. We assessed the relationship between the lifespan and various studied factors, such as body size and temperature, encephalization, protection of occupied ecological niches, presence of protective structures (for example, shells and osteoderms), and environmental temperature, and the influence of these factors on the variation of the lifespan as a statistical parameter. Our studies did not confirm the hypothesis on the metabolism level and temperature as the most decisive factors of longevity. It was found that animals protected by shells (e.g., turtles with their exceptional longevity) live longer than species that have poison or lack such protective adaptations. The improvement of defense against external threats in long-lived ectotherms is consistent with the characteristics of long-lived endotherms (for example, naked mole-rats that live in underground tunnels, or bats and birds, whose ability to fly is one of the best defense mechanisms).

中文翻译：

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四足动物长寿的进化：安全比代谢水平更重要

摘要

各种环境形态和行为因素可以决定各种类群代表的寿命。长寿物种开发出旨在提高生物体稳定性、防御能力并最终提高寿命的系统。长寿物种在不同程度上体现了有利于长寿的因素（老年学上的成功），例如体型大小、新陈代谢缓慢、身体修复和抗氧化防御系统的活性、对有毒物质和肿瘤发生的抵抗力以及幼态持续特征的存在。在继续对哺乳动物进行研究的过程中，我们研究了区分长寿变温动物（鳄鱼和海龟）的特征，并将它们与其他变温动物（有鳞动物和两栖动物）和恒温动物（鸟类和哺乳动物）进行了比较。我们还讨论了用于评估不同物种长寿倾向的数学指标，包括标准指标（死亡率、最长寿命、寿命变异系数）及其导数。保护表型和生活史策略进一步解释了衰老的进化模式。我们评估了寿命与各种研究因素之间的关系，例如身体大小和温度、脑化、对占据的生态位的保护、保护结构的存在（例如，壳和骨皮）和环境温度，以及这些因素的影响将寿命的变化作为统计参数。我们的研究并未证实新陈代谢水平和温度是长寿最决定性因素的假设。研究发现，受贝壳保护的动物（例如，寿命超长的海龟）比有毒或缺乏这种保护性适应的物种寿命更长。长寿命变温动物对外部威胁的防御能力的提高与长寿命恒温动物的特征一致（例如，生活在地下隧道中的裸鼹鼠，或者蝙蝠和鸟类，其飞行能力是最好的之一）防御机制）。