The tardigrade, or water bear,
Obscure though anything but rare
Is small and rather hard to see,
Much smaller than the common flea.
In case you haven't seen one yet
It’s famous in the internet.
Its origin, a mystery,
Goes way back in prehistory.
It may just be, what are the odds?,
Progenitor of arthropods.
Or maybe its genetic codes
Are closer to the nematodes?
From deep sea trench to outer space
The tardigrade lives any place.
It lives in damp moss, deserts, ice,
And thermal ocean vents are nice.
It's not found in New Jersey, though.
Some places tardigrades won't go.