tardigrade

tar·di·grade  (tärd-grd)

n.

Any of various slow-moving, microscopic invertebrates of the phylum Tardigrada, related to the arthropods and having four body segments and eight legs and living in water or damp moss. Also called water bear.

adj.

1. Of or belonging to the Tardigrada.

2. Slow in action; slow-moving.

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[New Latin Tardigrada, phylum name, from neuter pl. of Latin tardigradus, slow-moving : tardus, slow + -gradus, walking, moving (from grad, to go; see transgress). Adj., sense 2, from Latin tardigradus.]

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tardigrade  (tärd-grd)

Any of various slow-moving, minute invertebrates of the phylum Tardigrada. Tardigrades have a head and four fused body segments, each of which has a pair of stubby legs ending in claws. They live in water, damp moss, flower petals, or sand, and are usually 1 mm (0.04 inches) or less in size. Tardigrades are able to resist extremely low temperature, pressure, and humidity, and go into dormant states for months or years. They are believed to be intermediate in evolutionary development between annelids and arthropods. Also called water bear.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

tardigrade - an arthropod of the division Tardigrada arthropod - invertebrate having jointed limbs and a segmented body with an exoskeleton made of chitin class Tardigrada, Tardigrada - in some classifications considered a separate phylum: microscopic arachnid-like invertebrates living in water or damp moss having 4 pairs of legs and instead of a mouth a pair of stylets or needlelike piercing organs connected with the pharynx stylet - small needlelike appendage; especially the feeding organ of a tardigrade