Tardigrade. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a tardigrade or water bear (Echiniscus testudo) in its cryptobiotic tun (or barrel) state.
Tardigrade. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a tardigrade or water bear (Echiniscus testudo) in its cryptobiotic tun (or barrel) state. Tardigrades are tiny invertebrates that live in coastal waters and freshwater habitats, as well as semi-aquatic terrestrial habitats like damp moss. They require water to obtain oxygen by gas exchange. The tun state is a response to a period of dessication. It contracts and extrudes a wax covering as its metabolism drops to near-zero. Addition of water will revive it. The tardigrade feeds on plant and animal cells. It is found throughout the world, from the tropics to the cold polar waters. Magnification: x455 at 6x7cm size.
Size: 3466px × 2466px
Photo credit: © POWER AND SYRED/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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