Foraminifera

Foraminifera (or forams, for short) belong to the Protozoa (unicellular animals). There are still Foraminifera alive today.

Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Rhizaria
Superphylum: Retaria
Phylum: Foraminifera

Size: 12mm

Timescale: Foraminifera has been around for a long time, about 5000 million years ago.

Foraminifera produce a shell, or test. The limestone that makes up the pyramids of Egypt is composed almost entirely of nummulitic benthic foraminifera.

Foraminifera are usually too small to see, but Nummulites laevigatus is a species that grew to an uncommonly large size. This means that you can sometimes see the details of the shell (see above).

These Nummulites laevigatus were collected from Bracklesham Bay in Sussex. Size: 7mm - 18mm

Nummulites laevigatus

This is the inside of one of the Nummulites laevigatus. I carefully scraped away at one flat side with a pin to expose the inner chambers of the shell.
Size: 11mm