Mesmerizing Microscopic Footage of a Baby Sea Urchin
A stunning video captured by zoologist Alvaro Migotto has earned fifth place in the annual Nikon Small World in Motion competition. The footage shows a translucent baby sea urchin crawling across a bed of red algae, showcasing its delicate movements adn unique features.
Migotto, who works at the University of São Paulo in Brazil, identified the species as Arbacia lixula – a black sea urchin commonly found along the Brazilian coast and throughout the Mediterranean. He stumbled upon this tiny creature while examining debris that had washed ashore near his workplace at the Center for Marine Biology.
“it was purely by chance,” Migotto shared with Live Science via email. “While I was examining various materials such as algae, pebbles, and seashells washed ashore under a stereomicroscope to search for other organisms, I unexpectedly came across this tiny sea urchin calmly walking on a piece of red calcareous algae.”
“The scene struck me as perfect - not only was the animal moving naturally over its typical habitat but also created excellent contrast and pleasing colors,” he added.
Related link: How to Capture Stunning Microscope Images
Sea urchins are interesting marine invertebrates found in oceans around the world and in nearly every climate.They have round, spiny bodies and hundreds of tiny tubed feet that help them move and feed.
Nikon announced the winners and honorable mentions of the competition on September 24th. The top prize went to microscopist Jay McClellan for his time-lapse video capturing the self-pollination of a thyme-leaved speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia). Photographer Benedikt Pleyer was awarded second place for a swarm of Volvox algae in the central hole of a Japanese 50-yen coin.
Other noteworthy mentions include an 18-hour timelapse capturing the growth of a chick’s sensory neurons, a 3D composite image of a male dung beetle (Sulcophanaeus imperator) built from over 7,000 images, and footage showing mitochondria and calcium waves in muscle cells contracting within a human heart.
Absolutely fascinating! Nature is full of wonders.