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=__**Tardigrada **__=

=The Tardigrades are a phylum of microscopic invertebrates closely related to Arthropods. They are commonly referred to as "Water Bears" due to their marine habitats, and vague resemblance to Bears.= = = =These organism could have possibly been discovered in 1702 by Anton van Leeuwenhok, the inventor of the microscope. He once performed an experiment where he studied dried dust from the gutters of houses around his neighborhood (which is a viable habitat for Tardigrades). He did note that he observed living organisms in the medium once he sprinkled water on it, but he never put a name to them. A german pastor, J.A.E. Goeze, would descibe an organism fitting that of the Tardigrades in 1773 too. Lazzaro Spallanzani would repeat Leeuwenhok's experiment in 1776, and he would name these organisms 'Tardigrada.' The name comes from latin, meaning 'slow stepper.'= = = =Tardigrades primarily live off of mosses and lichen, though some species are carnivorous. Consequently, Tardigrades are found in moist environments, i.e. freshwater and other marine habitats. Those species that attain their nutrition carnivorously do so through predation. Tardigrades aren't top predators though, and sometimes fall prey to amoebas, etc.=

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