Oligocene foraminifera from Atzendorf, Germany

Prof. Mueller, Geologisch - Palaeontologische Sammlung, University of Leipzig provided a sample from Atzendorf near Stassfurt, Germany. It dates back 30 mya to the Rupelian stage, lower Oligocene. Most foraminifera are small, below 500µm in size and lived benthic. An example is Bolivina fastigia seen to the left. See the whole collection at http://www.foraminifera.eu/atzendorf.html


Some planktonics (well preserved) are found, I classify them as Globigerina globularis (see image to the right. There are several Spiroplectinellas respresenting the agglutinating foraminifera.

I am not much familiar with faunal interpretation, but would interprete from the faunal composition: 5-10% planktonics indicate open waters, which correlate with the overall smaller sized benthonics.

Reussella

Reussella - a small perforate taxa is very common in the material from Kemp Beach, Queensland. The genus with a pyramidal test is reported in the fossil record since Middle Eocene (~ 40 Mio. years). The image shows one side and the basis of the pyramid - maybe a bit confusing.

The sample send from Australia by Kirsten is very rich in diversity and total amount of foraminifera. Further images will be added.




Earlier I found a fossilized Reussella in material from Torrente Stirone , Italy in material provided by Michael - one of the first contributors. The image better illustrates the pyramidal form. It's about 1 Mio. years old from Pleistocene.

Please send me your Oligocene or Eocene Reussellas :)

Incoming Samples 2010 Weeks 1+2+3

Adrian sent several 10-20g samples among which are Fleury-la-Rivière, Lutetian, near Paris France. It is his 11th mailing. I plan to send some micro-shells back.

Akira kindly promised to sent some samples from Japan => the first from that part of the World !

Kirsten from Australia offered a package of different sand-samples. She will choose the best ones.

Peneroplis planatus from Yemen - an optical image

Last year I received in a plain envelope some plummercells filled with hundreds of foraminifera from young scientist Wafaa in Sanaa, Yemen. I started with SEM images (59 so far), see www.foraminifera.eu/wafaa.html.

I think optical images are a nice addition to illustrate this diverse fauna near Socotra, Yemen in the Indian Ocean and Peneroplis planatus a nice start.

The image is taken with a simple ocular camera. Sharpness is achieved by stacking different single images

Peneroplis is very common in the East Meditteranean, Red and Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean .... You may easily get it from sand-samples.

I hope you like the image :)

Michael