New marine tardigrade species named after former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

Researchers at the Cochin University of Science and Technology have identified a new species of marine tardigrade which they have named after the late former President and scientist A.P.J. Studied using microscopes, these water-dwelling animals also go by the rather unlikely moniker ‘water bears.’ The new species, discovered from Mandapam in south-east Tamil Nadu, belongs to the genus Batillipes and has been named Batillipes kalami. In 2021, Mr. Vishnudattan and Dr. Nandan discovered the first marine tardigrade species from India at Vadakara in Kerala. “In this context, detailed and dedicated studies along the Indian coast need to be conducted in the near future for a better understanding of marine tardigrade biodiversity,” the paper noted.