''Spinoloricus cinziae'' is an animal species described in 2014 in the phylum Loricifera. It was the first described animal species that does not require oxygen at any point during its life.Jackson P. (8 April 2010). http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8609246.stm "First oxygen-free animals found". ''BBC News''. accessed 16 April 2010.New species 'live without oxygen'
The Telegraph, April 9, 2010 The species, along with two other newly discovered species, ''

Rugiloricus ''Rugiloricus'' is a genus of marine organisms of the phylum Loricifera and the family Pliciloricidae, described by Higgins & Kristensen in 1986. Species References External links Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS): ''Rug ...

nov. sp.'' and '' Pliciloricus nov. sp.'' (all of order Nanaloricida), were found in the sediment of the anoxic L'Atalante basin of the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ...

Electron microscope An electron microscope is a microscope that uses a beam of accelerated electrons as a source of illumination. As the wavelength of an electron can be up to 100,000 times shorter than that of visible light photons, electron microscopes have a ...

images show that the species' cellular innards appear to be adapted for a zero-oxygen life. Their mitochondria appear to act as hydrogenosomes, organelles which provide energy in some

anaerobic Anaerobic means "living, active, occurring, or existing in the absence of free oxygen", as opposed to aerobic which means "living, active, or occurring only in the presence of oxygen." Anaerobic may also refer to: *Adhesive#Anaerobic, Anaerobic ad ...

single-celled creatures.Multicelled Animals May Live Oxygen-Free
U.S. News & World Report, April 12, 2010 At adulthood, this species is characterized by a mouth cone with eight oral ridges, a neck with eight single trichoscalids alternating with seven double trichoscalids, as well as lorical plates with spikes located at the corners. More than 30 species in this group have been described.

References

Loricifera Biota of the Mediterranean Sea Invertebrates of Europe Animals described in 2014 {{Protostome-stub