Nutrition
The tardigrades are suctorial feeder meaning that they have sharp tooth like structures that puncture the cells of the food they consume. They then suck the fluids out of the cells of the food. tardigrades usually feed on plant life such as algae and mosses which are abundant in their normal habitats. Some tardigrades are actually carnivorous feeding on small nematodes and rotifers. It is rare to find tardigrades that are strictly carnivorous, most are omnivorous and feed on plant material and animals (earthlife.org). The Hypsibius dujardini tardigrade feeds mainly on nematodes and in abundance. This tardigrade consumes about 43% of its body weight in food per day (Thorp et al 2010).
The Hypsibius dujardini species of tardigrade had a unique
characteristic that effects its nutrition. This tardigrade can shut
down its metabolic processes in order to survive long periods
without nutrients. The tardigrade does this in response to
environmental stress and can live in this condition for days, during
this time period the tardigrade is immobile, transperent, and rigid
(Thorp et al 2010). This adaptation is key to the survival of tardigrades because it allows them to live in extreme living
conditions and they can even live in space! (eol.org)
