Nobody is really perfect
Already in the classical tardigrade literature of the 1920s and 1930s we
can find descriptions of tardigrade handicaps. In particular the German
tardiologist Ernst Marcus mentions broken stylets. Just have a look at
our respective photomicrograph in the previous issue
of the Water Bear web base.
A broken stylet might imply a temporary tough (hungry) period for the tiny
tardigrade. But the stylet as a rule will be perfectly replaced by a new one during
the next moulting phase.
Broken stylets must be interpreted as results of accidents that might occur
to every tardigrade. But, in a similar way as man and other highly
developed organisms not all tardigrade individuals are physically equipped in the same degree of perfection
already at the moment of birth. And, there seems to be very little information
on this topic in the scientific literature.
Claw growth imperfections e.g. can be seen from time to time. Those tardigrades
will still be able to move normally and to feed normally. Just have a look
at the following photomicrograph:
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