Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Mopsechiniscus franciscae

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Kingdom
  
Animalia

Family
  
Echiniscidae

Phylum
  
Tardigrada

Order
  
Echiniscoidea

Class
  
Heterotardigrada

Genus
  
Mopsechiniscus

Rank
  
Species

Similar
  
Minibiotus, Heterotardigrada, Macrobiotus, Milnesium, Echiniscus testudo

Mopsechiniscus franciscae is a species of tardigrade native to Antarctica. One of the most resilient species on Earth, it can survive conditions such as extreme temperatures, high pressure, poison, dehydration, radioactivity, and even vacuum, partly due to its ability to go into hibernation when deprived of water. Found in samples of moss growing on gravel along the shore of Victoria Land, the species has a reddish color but appears green after feeding due to being transparent. Males measure a quarter of a millimeter in length, and females are 50 percent larger.

References

Mopsechiniscus franciscae Wikipedia