tardigrade
/'tɑ:brʌʃ/
Definition
Noun: - A microscopic, water-dwelling animal belonging to the phylum Tardigrada, characterized by a short, plump body with four pairs of stubby legs. Tardigrades are known for their extreme resilience and ability to survive in harsh environmental conditions.
Usage
- Tardigrades are often studied for their remarkable ability to enter a state of suspended animation called cryptobiosis.
- The word is used as a countable noun to refer to individual animals of this type.
Examples
- Under the microscope, we observed a tardigrade moving slowly across the algae.
- Scientists discovered that tardigrades can survive the vacuum of space.
- The tardigrade's ability to withstand extreme dehydration is unparalleled in the animal kingdom.
Advanced Usage
- "Tardigrade" as a model organism: In scientific research, tardigrades are used as model organisms to study extremophiles and biological survival mechanisms.
- Research on the tardigrade has provided insights into cellular protection during desiccation.
Variants and Related Words
- Tardigrada (noun, plural): The scientific phylum name to which all tardigrades belong.
- The phylum Tardigrada includes over 1,300 described species.
Synonyms
- Water bear (common name)
- Moss piglet (common name)
Different Meanings
- The term "tardigrade" is specific to biology and zoology. It does not have other common meanings in general English.
Idioms and Phrases
- There are no common idioms or phrasal verbs in English that use the word "tardigrade." It is a specialized scientific term.
Noun
-
an arthropod of the division Tardigrada
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