A tardigrade is a microscopic aquatic animal.  It looks like a miniature bear or caterpillar that has 4 pairs of legs ending in claws and five body-segments. Tardigrades are found all over the world, including salt and freshwater environments, in humid rain forests and dry deserts, in low canyons and high altitude mountain-tops.  Tardigrades are aquatic organsims and do need to be in water to eat, breath, reproduce, and move. Tardigrades are commonly found in the interstitial (water between leaves) environment of moss and lichen. Some tardigrades are carnivores, others are herbivores or omnivores.  They feed on each other, as well as mites, aphids, nematodes, and other microscopic organisms. These microscopic creatures play an important role in the cycling of nutrients.