Foram World

Learning pathway

Introduction to foraminifera

A four-step path from "what is a foram" to telling planktonic and benthic species apart.

  1. 01What are foraminifera?A gentle introduction to single-celled marine organisms with mineral shells, and why they matter for ocean science.
  2. 02Reading the testHow chambers, sutures and apertures combine into the shapes used to tell species apart.
  3. 03Wall composition & ornamentationCalcareous vs agglutinated walls, and the surface features that aid identification.
  4. 04Planktonic vs benthic lifeTwo ways of life, two sets of environmental signals — and why it matters for palaeoclimate.