Anyone else struggling to wake up this morning? I think this marine tardigrade feels our #MondayMood too! https://bit.ly/2FGzryN A marine tardigrade (Batillipes lusitanus) Rafael Martín-Ledo IES Leonardo Torres Quevedo Santander, Cantabria, Spain Phase Contrast 20X (Objective Lens Magnification) | Nikon Small World

🐻This is a marine tardigrade, Echiniscoides, and I think it’s the bear-est of all water bears with those huge claws. . Claws are the perfect tools for tardigrades to interact with their world. Species that move among algae filaments and plant fibers tend to have long claws for gripping. Predatory tardigrades often carry double-hooked claws for holding prey. Those living between sand grains develop gecko-like pads instead of claws, while soil-dwellers have tiny claws, or completely clawless. Int