Second Place Winner: Water Bear 1
Hunter Hines, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute

A freshwater Tardigrade ('water bear') magnified 400 times. I collected this micro animal from a freshwater spring here in Florida. The animal is full of algae, and imaged using Phase contrast microscopy. These famously tough micro animals have 8 legs with claws, and the ability to survive in extremes of various conditions (including temperature and space). I photographed this creature as part of my Ph.D. research (at HBOI) investigating microbial ecology in Florida.