Cryptobiosis

( Hidden Greek = kryptos and bios = life, even anabiosis ) Under cryptobiosis understood to be a condition of organisms in which the metabolic processes are extremely reduced. The term was coined in 1959 by David Keilin. Cryptobiosis is particularly useful for water bears ( tardigrades ), roundworms ( Nematoda ) and rotifers ( Rotifera, Rotifera ) ago. Especially with the discovery of the tardigrades cryptobiosis in the 19th century led to marked discussions on the essence of living.

One distinguishes several forms of cryptobiosis:

• Anhydrobiosis, formation of resting stages of dehydration
• Osmobiose, triggered by increased osmotic pressure
• Anaerobiosis, triggered by low oxygen content of the surrounding
• Kryobiose, triggered by low temperatures

In the state of cryptobiosis living beings are able ( for example, in anhydrobiotic tardigrades more than a decade ) to survive unfavorable conditions of life for a long time. Tardigrades in this state, even extremely low temperatures (below 30 K / -243.15 ° C), radioactivity and increased withstand temperatures (over 350 K / 77 ° C). The oxygen consumption is reduced to barely measurable values ​​.

An example from the animal world that combines several kryptobiotische properties, are the larvae of Polypedilum vanderplanki.