Water Bears in the Land of Diversity: A Comprehensive Review of Tardigrades in India

Abstract

Tardigrades, also known as water bears, are a group of microscopic invertebrates with four pairs of stout legs. They are known to be found in freshwater, terrestrial and marine environments. An exceptional feature of the tardigrades is their ability to withstand extreme low temperatures, desiccation and other such severe environmental conditions. Globally, 70.8% of the earth is covered with the oceans and seas, while the Indian Ocean accounts for 29% of the global ocean area and is known to be a region of high biodiversity, where India is one of the countries. Tardigrades are known to form a habitat with mosses, lichens, freshwater ecosystems, oceans, and Himalayas in India. One of the main areas of research on tardigrades in India is the diversity and distribution of tardigrade species in different regions of the country, however, very few studies have been conducted on this phylum. Tardigrades have become the subject of increasing interest due to their potential economic importance like their significance in environmental monitoring and space research. Lastly, this phylum needs to be explored in terms of the species distribution and their economic importance, making them a valuable resource for India.