A New Ancient Species Identified as Ancestor of the “Immortal Monster” Tardigrade Found in Cretaceous Amber
A new species of “immortal monster” named Aerobius dactylus has been identified by scientists within a piece of amber discovered in Canada back in 1960.
According to Sci-News, the amber has been dated back to the Cretaceous period (145-66 million years ago), while the ancient creature inside it has been identified as belonging to the tardigrade species, known as the “immortal monsters” that are arguably the most resilient organisms on Earth.
New “immortal monster” species in amber – (Photo: Communications Biology).
First discovered in 1773, tardigrades are a group of extremely small, diverse invertebrates renowned for their ability to survive in extreme conditions.
Recent studies have shown that they can desiccate, enter a dormant state for decades when their environment lacks water, and then quickly revive, eat, and reproduce when conditions become more favorable.
These organisms can even withstand lethal radiation in interstellar environments.
They are also suspected of having invaded the Moon after “hitching a ride” on Israel’s Beresheet spacecraft in 2019, along with possibly other spacecraft.
Two tardigrade species in Canada – (Photo: Franz Anthony).
There has been a proposal to incorporate some of the “immortal” genes of this species into the human genome so that astronauts could endure interplanetary journeys without being harmed by radiation.
With significant potential in science, uncovering the secrets of the evolution of these tiny creatures is a major focus.
Aerobius dactylus represents an intriguing discovery.
According to Dr. Javier Ortega-Hernández from Harvard University, a co-author of the study, within the amber where the new species was revealed, there was another tardigrade species, Beorn leggi, with seven well-preserved claws, whose body closely resembles modern species.
“The second specimen, Aerobius dactylus, has similarly long claws on each of its first pair of legs, but the outer claws are longer on the fourth pair of legs,” the authors noted.
Both species serve as important calibration points for what is known as molecular clock analysis, helping scientists estimate the timing of significant evolutionary events.
For example, the latest findings suggest that modern tardigrades may have diverged during the Cambrian period over 500 million years ago.
The research also sheds light on the evolution of the “immortal” abilities of these organisms.
Scientists believe they began evolving their special adaptive capabilities from the Paleozoic era (542-251 million years ago), which helped them survive the mass extinction at the end of the Permian period, marking the end of the Paleozoic era.
Clearly, this ability has been conserved and gradually evolved, allowing this organism to persist to the present day with a “portrait” not much different from its ancient ancestors.
