Water bears or moss piglets are common names given to a species of micro-animals known as tardigrades. When you look at a photo of a tardigrade under the microscope, you can see why they are affectionately called these less scientific names - they look like tiny little bears or pigs, albeit with extra limbs attached. When we look at scientific classification of these creatures, they are in their own phylum known as tardigrada, but they are believed to be closely related to arthropods. Their phylum is in the animal kingdom, and it includes around 1000 species in different groupings based on habitat and features. Perhaps this is your first time learning about tardigrades, but they are not rare or hard to find. In fact, these tiny organisms are found throughout the world on land and in both freshwater and saltwater habitats. Because they live in so many different environments, they have been able to develop into many different species.