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Updated: May 30, 2025

A Protocol for Bioinspired Design: A Ground Sampler Based on Sea Urchin Jaws
Published on: April 24, 2016
On Oscillations in the External Electrical Potential of Sea Urchins
Panagiotis Mougkogiannis1, Andrew Adamatzky1
1Unconventional Computing Laboratory, University of the West of England, Coldharbour Ln, Stoke Gifford, Bristol BS16 1QY, U.K.
Abstract:
Sea urchins display complex bioelectric activity patterns, even with their decentralized nervous system. Electrophysiological recordings showed distinct spiking patterns. The baseline potential was about 8.80 mV. It had transient spikes with amplitudes up to 21.05 mV. We observed many types of depolarization events. They included burst-like activity and prolonged state fluctuations lasting several seconds. Frequency domain analysis showed a power-law behavior. It had a scaling exponent of 6.21 ± 0.06, indicating critical dynamics. The analysis showed potential variations between 3.69 and 21.05 mV. The oscillation periods ranged from 4 to 3102 s. The varied timing of bioelectric signals suggests that these organisms can process information. This challenges traditional views of neural computation in simpler animals. These findings provide quantitative insights into the complex signaling mechanisms of the sea urchin's distributed nervous system.
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