Radiolarians (10 species) (IMAGE)

University of Texas at Austin

Radiolarians (10 species)

Caption

Examples of radiolarians, a type of microplankton. These tiny lifeforms need normal salinity seawater with plenty of nutrients including silica to grow and maintain their glassy shells. Researchers at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics found fossilized radiolarians in geologic samples dating back 56 million years, proving that life persisted in the Gulf of Mexico despite global warming that left many oceans barren.

Credit

U.S. Geological Survey

Usage Restrictions

No restrictions.

License

Public Domain

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