They’re far from a family portrait, but University of Maine marine science professor Sara Lindsay’s images of tiny marine worms have earned recognition by two international imaging competitions. Using confocal microscopy, which uses optical sectioning and lasers to create detailed images from specimens stained with orescent probes, Lindsay took images of the muscles in marine worms that she studies, constructing a three-dimensional picture of how the muscles are layered and intertwined in a whole worm. Feeding, burrowing and building tubes in sand and mud requires coordination of a complex complement of muscles in marine worms. In her winning images, the muscles that control movement of bristles on the worm's body and the feeding tentacles are strikingly clear. For her photos, Lindsay received an "Image of Distinction" recognition in the 2008 Nikon Small World competition, and an honorable mention in the 2008 Olympus BioScapes Digital Imaging competition. She also was featured on Nov. 17 in the online edition of Scientific American as a featured winner of the BioScapes competition. Her image appeared in the site’s slideshow. A news release with more is at http://www.umaine.edu/news/article.asp?id_no=2394.

Lindsay’s images can be found at the following Web links:

· http://www.nikonsmallworld.com/

· http://olympusbioscapes.com/

· http://www.sciam.com/slideshow.cfm?id=bioscapes-contest-photos&thumbs=horizontal&photo_id=AA9A97FF-B89A-D428-12D463AD3A0F46BB

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