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Tardigrades (/ ˈ t ɑːr d ɪ ɡ r eɪ d z / ⓘ), [1] known colloquially as water bears or moss piglets, [2] are a phylum of eight-legged segmented micro-animals. They were first described by the German zoologist Johann August Ephraim Goeze in 1773, who called them Kleiner Wasserbär ' little water bear ' .
Tardigrades, which are eight-legged micro-animals, are commonly referred to as water bears or moss piglets and are found all over the world in varying extreme habitats. First discovered in 1904 and originally named Hypsibius antarcticus, Acutuncus antarcticus is the most abundant tardigrade species in Antarctica. [1]
Tardigrades can withstand 1,000 times more radiation than other animals, [17] median lethal doses of 5,000 Gy (of gamma rays) and 6,200 Gy (of heavy ions) in hydrated animals (5 to 10 Gy could be fatal to a human). [18] Earlier experiments attributed this to their lowered water content, providing fewer reactants for ionizing radiation. [18]
The time frame of these molting stages vary from each tardigrade as it is dependent on the nutrition of the specific individual. [6] Once the molting stages are complete, the larva tardigrade attempts to find an ideal location to initiate ecdysis. Some eggs may be left in the discarded exuvia. [11]
Although invasive species are typically considered to be detrimental to the environment in which they are introduced, and even considered to be a leading cause of animal extinctions, [15] the ability of an animal to thrive in various environmental conditions is a form of evolutionary fitness, and therefore is typically a characteristic of ...
The list of tardigrades of South Africa is a list of species that form a part of the phylum Tardigrada of the fauna of South Africa. The list follows the SANBI listing. Tardigrades ( / ˈ t ɑːr d ɪ ɡ r eɪ d z / ⓘ ), known colloquially as water bears or moss piglets , are a phylum of eight-legged segmented micro-animals .
Tardigrades are known to exist in almost every biome on the earth. There are terrestrial species, marine species, and even fresh water species have been found. [4] The eight currently recognized species in the genus Bertolanius Özdikmen have a wide distribution ranging from colder arctic areas, including Norway and Sweden, to more temperate regions like the Mediterranean. [2]
There are 107 classes of animals in 33 phyla in this list. However, different sources give different numbers of classes and phyla. For example, Protura, Diplura, and Collembola are often considered to be the three orders in the class Entognatha. This list should by no means be considered complete and authoritative and should be used carefully.