Do you know how the geologists trace the oil deposits? Obviously, the answer is one click away!!! FORAMINIFERANS: subphylum Actinopoda
Phylum Sarcomastigophora
Subphylum Actinopoda:
Commonly called foratus.
Single-celled organisms (unicellular eukaryotes).
A marine group of amoeba
They possess reticulopods.
They secrete a test of calcium carbonate. The test is an external shell that is of various forms and compositions.
They are benthic or planktonic. (Benthic; Living on or within the seafloor sediments)
Live in the upper 50m of the ocean
Foraminiferans grow to secrete new larger chambers. Chambers remains attached to the older Chambers. Therefore, the test enlargement follows a symmetrical pattern. It may form two types of Chambers:
- Straight chain of Chambers
- The spiral arrangement that resembles a snail shell
- Many of these tests become relatively large. For example mermaids pennies. It is several centimeters in diameter. It is found in Australia.
- They move by pseudopodia. gametis have 2 flagella. Alternate between haploid and diploid forms.
Some are heterotrophic feeding on other small organisms (copepods, diatoms), or phytodetritus.
Show symbiotic relationship with algae whereas some are kleptoplastic (retaining chloroplasts).
A few are parasitic that can infect molluscs, sponges, and corals.
Importance of foraminiferans
- The abundance of their tests in the Fossil record of the Cambrian period (600 MYA)
- A large component of marine sediments is comprised of foraminifera.
- Their test deposits are found on the ocean floors (e.g, limestone and chalk deposits). For example, the white cliffs of Dover in England contain the huge chalk deposits
- The presence of fossilized forums is an identification of geologic strata having oil deposits (a clue for geologists).
The white cliffs of Dover, England |
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