Hidden within the mountain ranges of Central Asia, a newly discovered species of tardigrade, known for its resilience, can thrive even on… the moon or in the void of space between stars.
According to Dr. Piotr Gąsiorek, a researcher from the Department of Evolutionary Zoology at Jagiellonian University in Poland, as reported by Sci-News: “The mountain ranges and plateaus in Central Asia harbor a significant number of endemic tardigrade species.”
Portrait of the newly discovered tardigrade species – (Photo: Zoologischer Anzeiger)
First discovered in 1773, tardigrades, or “water bears”, are a diverse group of extremely small invertebrates known for their ability to survive in the most extreme environments, with lifespans of up to 60 years.
They can be found in deadly conditions: in boiling volcanic lakes, in freezing ice, in environments lacking oxygen and food, and under high radiation…
Experiments have shown that if you were to drift a tardigrade into the void of space, it… would still survive. Thus, it is suspected that tardigrades may have… snuck aboard Israel’s lunar exploration mission, subsequently occupying Earth’s satellite when the spacecraft crashed a few years ago.
Numerous studies are looking into the application of tardigrades in space research, even considering borrowing their genes to enhance human resilience, enabling astronauts to survive long missions without radiation harm.
In a new study, Dr. Gąsiorek examined new specimens of the genus Cornechiniscus of tardigrades from Kyrgyzstan, Italy, and Argentina, leading to the discovery of the 11th species in the genus, previously unknown to the world.
Named Cornechiniscus mystacinus, it is found in the mountains surrounding Tashkömür in the Jalalabat region of northern Kyrgyzstan. It has a color ranging from yellow to dark orange, a plump, round body, black crystalline eyes, smooth claws, and long, round sensory hairs encircling its body.
Notably, its head features spines, resembling whiskers, and the overall appearance of its face is quite similar to that of a catfish.
Adult females average 0.5 mm in length, while males are slimmer and shorter. According to the authors, this discovery supports the hypothesis regarding the Central Asian origins of this immortal lineage.
The study was recently published in the scientific journal Zoologischer Anzeiger.
