- Project title
- The Genus Quinqueloculina: a taxonomic revision and iconographic documentation of species pertaining tothe d'Orbigny' Collection
- Description of the project
- Benthic Foraminifera are among the most abundant microorganisms in marine environments. Their study attracts a growing number of researchers because they can be used to accurately perform paleoecologic and paleobathymetric reconstructions, as well as biostratigraphic studies. Owing to their great diversity (more than 10.000 modern species), a precise knowledge of their taxonomy is the necessary starting point for any type of study. Unfortunately, this is not always easily obtained since in recent literature, the same species is often reported under different names or Authors frequently refer to a species without providing photographic documentation. Therefore, especially for some particularly problematic genera, the best way to carry out a correct taxonomic revision is to observe the original specimens used to describe the species as well as the original sediment samples from which the Authors extracted these specimens. The aim of this project is to study some species pertaining to the Quinqueloculina d'Orbigny 1826 genus (whose several species type material is housed in the Collection of Micropaleontology at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle of Paris) and to: i) to carry out the taxonomic revision and description of these species; ii) to compile a high-resolution 2D (optical microscope photographs of syntypes and lectotypes and SEM photographs and 3D (Micro-Ct scan) iconographic documentation of topotypes.
Works done by the platform AST-RX
