Batillipes chandrayaani

• A new marine tardigrade species discovered off the southeast coast of Tamil Nadu has been named Batillipes chandrayaani after the Chandrayaan-3 moon mission.
• It is the third marine tardigrade species to have been scientifically described from the Indian waters and the second from the east coast.
• It features a trapezoid-shaped head and four pairs of legs with sharp-tipped sensory spines.

WHAT ARE TARDIGRADES ?

• They are microscopic, multicellular, and one of the most durable forms of life on planet Earth.
• Tardigrades are found in terrestrial, marine, and freshwater environments from the Arctic to the Antarctic, including great depths and altitudes.
• Also known as water bears or moss piglets, they are capable of surviving temperatures as high as 150° Celsius and as low as minus 272° Celsius albeit for a few minutes.