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Project Noah Nature School
Class: Eutardigrada - Order: Parachaela
Shallow pond in rural SW Pennsylvania
Spotted on Aug 25, 2012
Submitted on Oct 8, 2012
11 Comments
The only ones I've seen so far have just been lucky finds. I recently picked up some moss and lichen, though, and should have better luck. If I have any success I'll post it to my blog "Nature Notes" http://www.zone-vx.com/blog
How did I miss this one. A truly fabulous shot EW. Great spotting. We've been searching for some for years now on and off with little luck... over 900 species exist and some are almost visible to a naked eye (0.12mm). Thanks for putting this one up.
Agnes ... Now *that's* a beautiful image. Made with a color scanning electron microscope that probably costs deep into 6-digits. (sigh) But still beautiful !!!
Amir ... Phylum is Tardigrada - Class is Eutardigrada
I remember the water bear from a fb posting and thought it was really cool.. the picture in this link was posted in fb - http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/12855775.
looks beautiful. and i thought that tardigrada is class but acc. to ur pic it is eutardigrada.
Victoria ... Yeh, they are amazing little things and fun to watch through a microscope as they amble about. As small as they are, they actually walk on their stubby legs much like a bear; which is how they got their name.
AMAZING find! I saw these on TV :D
Scott ... Indestructible is the correct word. Unless one meets with deliberate foul play you have to wonder if they *can* die.
Most indestructible animal ever, great find.
Karen ... This fella was wild and wooly. I found him in a local pond that comes and goes several times a year. I have heard it said that they are the only invertebrates that have ever been called cute.
Did you find these "wild", or did you order them (as I do..)? I love water bears. They are strangely cute, with their teeeny tiny toenails!