Patiria miniata

Multi-scale tracking using Gravity Machine reveals repeated behavioral transitions in P. miniata (Bat-star) larva. The larvae swim upwards in a highly directed fashion but interrupt this with transitions to periods of sinking and hovering. In particular one can use Gravity Machine to concurrently measure the flow-field surrounding the larvae revealing a striking array of vortices (data time-stamp: 300 s) that the larvae develops around itself using its ciliary band. The dynamics of the formation and destruction of these vortices are captured in fine detail and contain information on the state of the ciliary band. This short data-segment shows 3 such behavioral transitions.