Tardigrades can survive being ingested by predators
the verdict
REFUTED
the evidence says no
refutedsupported
the weight of evidence
1 source for · 1 against
AS REPORTEDno primary record reached; this is what the reporting says
The evidence contains only observational suggestions that tardigrades might disperse via ingestion, alongside expert assertions that they lack mechanisms to survive stomach acids in their natural state.
# A lift in snail's gut provides an efficient colonization route for tardigrades
Ecology. Published: 2022-03-31. 6 citations.
## Authors
- Tommi Vuori (University of Jyväskylä): h-index 6; 65 citations; corresponding author
- Sara Calhim (University of Jyväskylä): h-index 20; 1,761 citations
- Matteo Vecchi (University of Jyväskylä): h-index 16; 708 citations
## Topics
- Tardigrade Biology and Ecology
- Biocrusts and Microbial Ecology
- Polar Research and Ecology
## Funding
- Academy of Finland
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# A lift in snail's gut provides an efficient colonization route for tardigrades
Colonization dynamics of microscopic invertebrates and the relative importance of different dispersal vectors are largely unknown. Although wind and water are generally assumed to be the dominant dispersal mechanisms for meiofauna, animal-mediated dispersal has received relatively little attention (Fontaneto, 2019) . A few observational studies suggest the capability of tardigrades to colonize new habitats via ingestion (endozoochory) by gastropods and birds (Fox & García-Moll, 1962; Robertson et al., 2020) , but direct evidence is lacking. An astonishing diversity of organisms has been found to su
# Can tardigrades survive being eaten?
Tags: microbiology, death, homeostasis, extremophiles
- Score: 8
- Views: 6424
- Answers: 2
- Answered: yes
- Asked by: alan2here (303 rep)
- Asked: 2016-02-04
- Site: biology
## Question
Compared to a tardigrade, the cockroach seems fragile.
But can tardigrades survive the acidic environment of being eaten by most animals?
## Answers
### Answer by Dart Feld (score: 3 [ACCEPTED])
In there natural state no, tartigrade have absolutely no way to survive the acidic content of stomachs and are fragile.
In their cryptobiosed form (extremely resilient form) there has been no research to determine if they could survive extremely acid environnements. The things that we know they can survive is:
Temperature
Pressure
Dehydration
Radiation
The outer space environnement
Toxins
However, very few organisms possess mechanisms to tolerate highly acid environnement since acid affect cell membranes by "attacking" mainly the proteins and lipids. These organisms have evolved these traits because they live in acidic environnements, tartigrades on the other side don't.
Another point to add is, entering cryptobiosed form takes time, if the tartigrade w