Honorable Mention Compact Behavior
Andrea Michelutti
“Circle of life“
The Story:
I found this Favorinus tsuruganus, along with its eggs, on the egg ribbon of the Spanish dancer (Hexabranchus sanguineus). This image captures a stark contrast between nature’s beauty and its harsh realities. The bright colors and intricate designs of the nudibranchs are captivating, but they hide a harsh reality. The nudibranch in the foreground is feeding of the eggs of another of its kind: the ribbon of purple eggs laid by the Spanish dancer fell prey to the Favorinus tsuruganus, which also deposited its white eggs on top.
This scene illustrates intraspecific predation, a phenomenon where an animal consumes another of its own species, typically targeting the eggs or the young. Shooting this image required a great deal of patience, as the constant movement of the purple eggs, caused by the undertow, obscured the nudibranch and its eggs. After some attempts, I succeeded in capturing this vivid portrayal of the ‘circle of life”.
Location:
Anilao, Batangas, Philippines
Equipment Used:
- Camera: Sony RX100 VII
- Housing: Isotta Sony RX100 VII Housing
- Lens: Inon UCL-90 +11 Macro Lens
- Lights/Strobes: Inon Z330 Strobe
Camera Settings:
- Aperture: F11
- Shutter Speed: 1/1000 sec
- ISO: 100
