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Specimen
010
Video of a tardigrade we found in a clump of moss that fell off the roof of our house, viewed on our microscope using a darkfield patch stop to produce oblique illumination. Tardigrades, also commonly known as water bears or moss piglets, are eight-legged, segmented micro-animals. They are usually about 0.5 mm in length when fully grown. The name is derived from the Italian 'Tardigrada', which means "slow steppers". They are short and plump, with four pairs of legs, each ending in claws (usually four to eight) or suction disks. Tardigrades are found in mosses and lichens and feed on plant cells, algae, and small invertebrates. Tardigrades are among the most resilient animals known and can survive the most extreme conditions — such as exposure to extreme temperatures, extreme pressures, air deprivation, radiation, dehydration, and starvation. A NASA experiment also took some tardigrades to outer space, where they survived! |