Limnognathia
Limnognathia maerski is a microscopic freshwater animal, discovered living in warm springs on Disko Island, Greenland, in 1994. Since then, it has also been found on the Crozet Islands of Antarctica as well as in the British Isles, suggesting a worldwide distribution, although there are likely different species yet to be described.
| Limnognathia | |
|---|---|
| Schematic drawing of Limnognathia maerski | |
| Microscopic on L. maerski | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Subkingdom: | Eumetazoa |
| Clade: | ParaHoxozoa |
| Clade: | Bilateria |
| Clade: | Nephrozoa |
| (unranked): | Protostomia |
| (unranked): | Spiralia |
| Clade: | Gnathifera |
| Phylum: | Micrognathozoa |
| Order: | Limnognathida |
| Family: | Limnognathiidae |
| Genus: | Limnognathia |
| Species: | L. maerski |
| Binomial name | |
| Limnognathia maerski Kristensen & Funch, 2000 | |
With an average length of 100 micrometers (μm), it is one of the smallest known animals.
Etymology of Micrognathozoa: From the Greek Micros (= very small) Gnathos (= jaw) and Zoon (= animal)
L. maerski is the only species that belongs into the Micrognathozoa, a relatively new phylum of animals that was only described in 2000
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