ParadoryphoribiusChronocaribbeus

Paleontologists have described a new species and genus of tardigrade found in a piece of amber which is 16-million-year-old. This piece was found from the Dominican Republic. Called Paradoryphoribiuschronocaribbeus, it is the third Miocene tardigrade fossil of Dominican amber, the first reported Cenozoic tardigrade fossil, and the first clear fossil representative of the diverse Isohypsibioidea tardigrade superfamily.

What are Tardigrades?

• Tardigrades are a charismatic microscopic invertebrates which are found in diverse groups.
• They can survive in extreme conditions.
• Despite their global distribution in terrestrial and aquatic environments as well as long evolutionary history, tardigrade fossils are not found easily.
• Due to their microscopic size and non-biomineralizing body, tardigrades are unlikely to petrify.
• In particular, the tardigrade is a ubiquitous ancient lineage that has seen everything on earth, from the fall of the dinosaurs to the rise of land colonization by plants.
• The discovery of a fossil tardigrade is truly a once-in-a-generation event.

About Tardigrade Fossils

Paradoryphoribius chronocaribbeus is only the third tardigrade amber fossil that has been officially named and fully described. The other two fossils are Beorn leggi and Milnesium swolenskyi, both known from Cretaceous amber in North America. The results of this new discovery were published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B journal.