Overview
- At a presentation in the Nationalpark Schwarzwald, Ministerpräsident Winfried Kretschmann received a model of Ramazzottius kretschmanni and called the recognition a personal honor as a biologist.
- The species has carried its name since it was scientifically described in 2022 after being discovered in the park, so the event marked a public presentation rather than a new finding.
- Individuals measure about 400 micrometers and show an unusual reddish‑beige coloration, living mainly in mosses and reaching tree canopies by wind drift or transport in bird‑carried moss.
- Tardigrade experts note the animals can survive desiccation, freezing and temperatures above 110°C and down to −200°C, with prior experiments showing survival of space exposure without a suit.
- Surveys led by University of Stuttgart zoologist Ralph Schill documented 28 tardigrade species in the park, including four previously unknown, representing more than 30% of Germany’s 99 known species.