Torpor

From the Guiness Book of World Records: “Longest Suspended Animation”.

“In 1846, two specimens of the desert snail (Eremina desertorum) were presented to the British Museum (Natural History) in London as dead exhibits. They were placed on display, but four years later, in March 1850, it was found that one of the snails was still alive. The snail lived for another two years before it fell into a torpor and then died.”

Torpor

1. A state of mental or physical inactivity or insensibility.
2. Lethargy; apathy.
3. *The dormant, inactive state of a hibernating or estivating animal.

Etymology

From Latin torpere, meaning “to be numb”.

Synonyms

stupor, languor, inanition

Photo by: Dave and Karin