Batillipes Chandrayani

A new species of marine tardigrade discovered from the southeast coast of Tamil Nadu has been named Batillipes chandrayaani after the Chandrayaan-3 moon mission by researchers at the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat). 

About Batillipes Chandrayana:

1. Discovery:
   1. Batillipes Chandrayani was discovered in intertidal beach sediments at Mandapam in Tamil Nadu.
2. Size:
   1. It is of similar size to other tardigrades, growing to 0.15 millimeters in length and 0.04 millimeters in width.
3. Physical Features:
   1. Batillipes Chandrayani has a trapezoid-shaped head and four pairs of legs with sharp-tipped sensory spines.
   2. Both sexes are similar in terms of morphology and size.
4. Taxonomic Classification:
   1. It is the 39th species described under the genus Batillipes.

Tardigrades:

1. Common Name:
   1. Tardigrades are commonly known as "water bears" due to their microscopic size and resilience.
2. Habitat and Distribution:
   1. Marine tardigrades account for 17% of all known tardigrade species and are found in all the oceans.
3. Resilience:
   1. Despite their small size, tardigrades are among the hardiest animals, able to endure mass extinctions and exhibit impressive survival skills.

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