FORAMINIFERA ITS APPLICATIONS INTRODUCTION Microfossils are very small

FORAMINIFERA & IT’S APPLICATIONS

INTRODUCTION • Microfossils are very small remains of organisms 0. 001 mm(1 micron) to 1 mm, that require magnification for study. • They are abundant, can be recovered from small samples. • It provides the main evidence for organic evolution through time. • They are classified into two groups: • Organic walled: Acritarchs, Dinoflagellates, Spores , Pollen etc. • Inorganic walled: Diatoms, Silicoflagellates, Ostracods, Conodonts and Foraminifera

Kingdom: PROTOZOA Phylum : SARCODINA Class : RHIZOPODA Order : FORAMINIFERA • Most abundant can be studied with simple techniques and low power microscopes. • Their shells are called tests which consist of single or multiple chamber(s). • Each chamber is interconnected by an opening (foramen) or several openings (foramina) • Known from Early Cambrian to Recent times and has reached its acme during Cenozoic

MORPHOLOGY

• Shell morphology and mineralogy form the prime basis for identification of species and higher categories of Foraminifera. • Most have a shell or test comprising chambers, interconnected through holes or foramina. • The test may be composed of a number of materials but three main categories have been documented: • Organic Consist of tectin, which is protinaceous • Agglutinated Fragments of extraneous material bounded by variety of cements • Calcareous Subdivided into three sub-groups: I. Microgranular consists of tight packed, similar size grains of crystalline calcite II. Porcellaneous tests are formed of small, randomly oriented crystals of high Mg calcite

III. Hyaline tests are formed of larger crystals of low magnesium calcite and have a glassy appearance, this test can be radial or granular.

THANK YOU