Phylum Tardigrada
(Water Bears)
Tardigrades are a phylum of small water dwelling animals found throughout the world. Their most notable feature is their ability to survive in extreme environments they can survive in temperatures ranging from -459-304 degrees Fahrenheit and can withstand high amounts of radiation, several experiments have been conducted where tardigrades have returned from days of low earth orbit alive, making them the first animal to survive in the vacuum of space. Unlike their ursine relatives they are quite small with the biggest of the 1,150 species growing up to 1.5 mm long. The name water bear comes from the animals barrellike shape and legs (although bears don’t have 8 legs) making them look similar to a bear and the water part comes from the fact they live in water.
Phylogeny
Animalia-Ecdysozoa(panarthropoda)-Tardigrada
I like water bears they are really neat.