The Tiniest Swimmers: Comb Jelly Locomotion at a Microscopic Scale (Video)

Sean Colin is fascinated by locomotion. The strange invertebrates that represent much of our ocean’s biodiversity have unusual ways of moving, and Colin, a professor of marine biology and environmental science at Roger Williams University, has been studying them for decades. 

Now, he is turning his attention to comb jellies (ctenophores). These translucent, jellyfish-like invertebrates populate the waters around Woods Hole. They push themselves through the ocean using plates of fused cilia, and though the way the adults move is well-understood, how the much smaller larvae manage is something of a mystery. Colin’s lab uses a powerful microscope to study how these tiny comb jellies move through the water.

Watch the video below to hear Colin talk about his research and see the footage yourself.