Is programmed aging biological suicide?
Programmed aging could be considered a form of biological suicide. However, some animals and plants die suddenly following reproduction rather than from gradual deterioration and represent more explicit instances of biological suicide. Examples include octopus, salmon, and even some mammals, the male marsupial mice. Such instances of acutely self-limited life span would also fit programmed aging theories that propose that a species-specific limited life span generally conveys benefit. Some programmed aging theorists contend that gradual aging conveys additional evolutionary benefit relative to sudden death.
