New species of ‘water bear’ discovered in Japanese parking lott

t’s not often that a microscopic organism gains celebrity status, but that’s exactly what tardigrades have managed to accomplish. The tiny organisms often called “water bears” due to their stout body shapes, have gained popularity thanks to their undeniable cuteness and incredible resiliency.

Considered “micro-animals,” tardigrades are thought to date back as far as 530 million years and they’re still around today. Now, an entirely new species of the tiny creatures has been discovered in a rather unlikely place: a parking lot.

A scientist from the Keio University in Tokyo gathered the groundbreaking specimen from a chunk of moss in a city parking lot and, after closely examining it under a microscope and sampling its DNA, realized it was a first-of-its-kind discovery.

The new tardigrade species, called Macrobiotus shonaicus, is only slightly different from many other known species, but its stunted legs make it easily recognizable under a high-powered lens. The species also has a unique egg shape with protrusions that researchers believe may help them attach to surfaces. A paper on the discovery was published this week in PLoS One.