Eutardigrade

Taxobox
name = Eutardigrades


image_width = 288px
image_caption = The tardigrade "Hypsibius dujardini"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Tardigrada
classis = Eutardigrada
subdivision_ranks = Orders
subdivision =
*Order Apochaela
**Milnesiidae
*Order Parachaela
**Macrobiotidae
**Microhypsibiidae
**Calohypsibiidae
**Hypsibiidae

Eutardigrada are a class of Tardigrada without lateral appendices. Primarily freshwater bound, some species have secondarily gained the ability to live in marine environments ("Halobiotus"). By cryptobiosis many species are able to live temporarily in very dry environments.

The order Apochaela consists of only one family, Milnesiidae, with two genera: "Milnesium" and "Limmenius". "Milnesium tardigradum" can be found worldwide and is one of the biggest species among tardigrades (up to 1.4 mm). The mouth of this predator has a wide opening, so the animal can eat rotifers and larger protists. The claws are characteristic. Other eutardigrades belong to the order Parachaela.

References

*

External links

* [http://www.tardigrades.de/taxa.htm tardigrade taxa]
* [http://www.tardigrades.de/pseudobiotusmegalonyx.htm Pseudobiotus megalonyx]
* [http://www.cvgs.k12.va.us/research/Final/sresch02/middleton/ Milnesium tardigradum (radiation experiments)]