Limnognathia

From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids

Limnognathia maerski is a microscopic animal, discovered living in homothermic springs on Disko Island, Greenland in 2000, that was given its own phylum, Micrognathozoa. It is related to the rotifers and gnathostomulids, grouped together as the Gnathifera. With 32 moving parts, the jaw of this microscopic invertebrate not only exceeds sharks in complexity, but all other invertebrates. While feeding, limnognathia extend jaw parts from the mouth to grasp the substrate, like two small hands.

It also has many other unique bodily structures which earned it its own phylum. It has three distinct segments, including a head, abdomen, and an accordion-like thorax, which it can extend to become flexible while moving. It averages only 0.13 mm long, or about the width of a very fine blood vessel, making it one of the smallest animals known.

The discovery added to a growing number of extremophiles newly discovered.

[edit] External links

• Comprehensive information on L. maerski
• Science Now article on L. maerski