Characteristics
Organizing 1000's of Known Species
With over 1,000 known species, tardigrades are classified based on their physical characteristics, and can be sorted into different categories such as Class, Order, Family, or Genus.
The use of a classification system helps to organize and categorize the different species, making it easier to identify and study the various species of tardigrades found around the world.
By filtering tardigrades based on these categories, researchers and enthusiasts can gain a better understanding of the diversity and characteristics of these fascinating creatures.
Categorized By Class
Class is the broadest category, and includes all tardigrades that share certain very general characteristics, such as an armored body or particular sets of claws.
Tardigrades may belong to the class Eutardigrada or Heterotardigrada
Categorized By Order
Order is a more specific category, and includes species that share certain physical traits such as the number of claws on their legs or the shape of their mouthparts.
Some examples of tardigrade orders include Apochela, which includes species with separate primary and secondary claws, Parachela, which includes species with “diploclaws”, with fused primary and secondary branches.
Categorized By Family
Family is an even more specific category, and includes species that share even more physical characteristics.
For example, the family Milnesiidae includes tardigrades with elongated bodies and long, slender claws, while the family Macrobiotidae includes tardigrades with short, stubby claws and a distinctive egg-shaped body.
Categorized By Genus
Genus is the most specific category above “species”, and includes species that are closely related and share many physical characteristics.
Some examples of tardigrade genera include Milnesium, which includes species with a lengthy body and long, slender claws, and Macrobiotus, which includes species with a round body and short, stubby claws.