New observations on test architecture and construction of Jullienella foetida Schlumberger, 1890, the largest shallow-water agglutinated foraminifer in modern oceans.

ABSTRACT: We present new observations on Jullienella foetida Schlumberger, 1890, a giant agglutinated foraminifer with a leaf- or fan-like test reaching a maximum dimension of 14 cm, that is common on some parts of the west African continental shelf. The test wall comprises a smooth, outer veneer of small (<10 µm) mineral grains that overlies the much thicker inner layer, which has a porous structure and is composed of grains measuring several hundreds of microns in size. Micro-CT scans suggest that much of the test interior is filled with cytoplasm, while X-ray micrographs reveal an elaborate system of radiating internal partitions that probably serve to channel cytoplasmic flow and strengthen the test. Jullienella foetida resembles some xenophyophores (giant deep-sea foraminifera) in

SUBMITTER: Langer MR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8862658 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature