Hypsibius dujardini
Classification
Higher Order Taxa
Domain: Eukarya
Phylum: Tardigrada
Class: Eutardigrada
Order: Parachaela
Family: Hypsibiidae
Species
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Hypsibius dujardini
Discovery of Tardigrades
Tardigrades were discovered first in 1773 by German zoologist Johann August Ephraim Goeze and named them little water bears
. Later, in 1777, they were renamed Tardigrada
by Italian biologist Lazzaro Spallanzani. This new name carried the meaning slow steppers
.
Description and Significance
Describe the appearance, habitat, etc. of the organism, and why you think it is important.
H. dujardini is a freshwater species of Tardigrade (also known as water bears
) found in the algae and sediments of rivers, streams, and lakes, and is cosmopolitan in nature, being found in many different environments around the world. They have been found to survive in a multitude of environments and are one of the most resilient animals on Earth, placing them in the category of extremophiles. They have the ability to survive in extreme high and low temperatures, extreme high and low pressures, deprivation of air, starvation, dehydration, radiation, and have even been found to survive in outer space. Geographically, they have been found in the Palearctic, Neotropical, Nearctic, Afrotropical, Antarctic, and Indomalaya regions, and are the most commonly found tardigrade in the Nearctic region.
Appearance
H. dujardini are approximately 0.50mm in length and have long, plump bodies with 8 legs, with claws on the end of each, lined symmetrically down the length of their bodies. To distinguish H. dujardini from other species of tardigrade there are three main features to observe:
- There are eight morphologically different claw sets used when comparing tardigrades to determine its species. For H. dujardini, their claws are two branched that differ in length and face opposite each other within each pair.
- Their apophyses for the insertion of the stylet muscles (AISMs) appear to be more hooked.
- Their waxy cuticle is much smoother in appearance compared to other tardigrade species
Additionally, females often appear to be larger than the males.
Significance
H. dujardini is one of the best studied species of tardigrade and has been important to use as a model for studying the evolution of development. Additionally, they have been used in a study that observes the effect of taking away a geomagnetic field on the mortality rate of H. dujardini. This study addresses the question of terrestrial organisms having the ability to travel through space and colonise on new planets, including organisms from Earth.
Genome Structure
Describe the size and content of the genome. How many chromosomes? Circular or linear? Other interesting features? What is known about its sequence?
There have been three genome assemblies for H. dujardini where they were able to determine that the median total genome length is 182.155 Mb, the median total protein count for their genome is 20853, and the median GC% for the genome is 44.5.
Life Cycle and Survival
Interesting features of cell structure; how it gains energy; what important molecules it produces.
Ecology and Pathogenesis
Habitat; symbiosis; biogeochemical significance; contributions to environment.
If relevant, how does this organism cause disease? Human, animal, plant hosts? Virulence factors, as well as patient symptoms.
References
Author
Page authored by Rosie Munro, student of Prof. Jay Lennon at IndianaUniversity.
