Tardigrade-Water bear

This is a tardigrade commonly known as a water bear. The phylum is tardigrada.

They are commonly found on lichens and can survive dessication for very long periods of time. In this dessicated state they are known as tuns and have been known to survive uv radiation, extremes of temperature and many other conditions that would kill any other living thing.

This one was collected in spring 2008 from deer moss (a type of lichen). He's dancing to Little Red Corvette by Prince.