NB This site is under active development, current content in the main database is primarily from Bolli et al 1994, Hayward et al. 2012, Holbourn et al. 2013, Holbourn and Kaminski 1997, Alegret & Thomas 2001, and Katz et al. 2003. It is intended to expand and develop this to provide rather comprehensive coverage of Mesozoic and Cenozoic deep-sea benthic foraminifera.
Classification: bf_main
Sister taxa:
Daughter taxa (time control age-window is: 0-800Ma)
Taxonomic rank: informal groipTaxonomic discussion: The high level classification of foraminifera was traditionally primarily based on wall structure (e.g. Loeblich & Tappan 1964, 1987). Modern phylogentic research (Mikhalevich 2013, Pawlowski et al 2013) suggests, very broadly, that unilocular agglutinated forams (the Astrorhizida) evolved first and gave rise to three separate groups of multilocular agglutinate forams (Textulariana, Hormosinana and Spirillinida) each of which in turn gave rise to a separate set of calcareous-walled forams (Rotaliana, Nodosariana and Miliolida).
The classification used here is based on that given on the World Foraminifera Database (part of the World Register of Marine Species). Only a limited subset of all forams are included on this website so, using all the higher taxa ranks of the full classification would result in a lot of redundancy of information and make browsing the taxa impractical. To avoid this, many intermediate taxa have been omitted. For example, within the superfamily Bolivinitoidea we currently only include two genera with deep-water species, so we omit the families and subfamilies.
Catalog entries:
NB These concise distinguishing features statements are used in the tables of daughter-taxa to act as quick summaries of the differences between e.g. species of one genus. They are being edited as the site is developed and comments on them are especially welcome.
Description
Wall composition:calcareous-hyaline
Search data:
Final whorl chambers: 0->0
The morphological data given here can be used on the advanced search page. See also these notes
Biogeography and Palaeobiology
Biostratigraphic distribution
Geological Range: Last occurrence (top): within (-Ma, top in "Holocene" stage). Data source: First occurrence (base): within (-Ma, base in "Holocene" stage). Data source:
Plot of occurrence data: NB The ranges given for genera and higher taxa are the total ranges of species included in that taxon in this database - so the true total range of the taxon will usually be longer
Range-bar - range as quoted above, pink interval top occurs in, green interval base occurs in.
Triangles indicate an event for which a precise placement has been suggested
Neptune data: this is a higher taxon page so Neptune data is not plotted. For the customisable plot option go to a genus page
References:
Loeblich, A. R. Jr & Tappan, H. (1964). Sarcodina, chiefly “Thecamoebians” and Foraminiferida. In, Moore, R. C. (ed.) Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, Part C, Protista 2 (2 vols). Geological Society of America and University of Kansas Press, Lawrence, KS 1-900. gs
Loeblich, A. R. Jr & Tappan, H. (1987). Foraminiferal Genera and their Classification. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York. 1-970. gs
Mikhalevich, V. I. (2013). New insight into the systematics and evolution of the foraminifera. Micropaleontology. 59(6): 493-527. gs
Pawlowski, J., Holzmann, M. & Tyszka, J. (2013). New supraordinal classification of Foraminifera: Molecules meet morphology. Marine Micropaleontology. 100: 1-10. gs
Deep-Sea Benthic Foraminifera compiled by the bforams@mikrotax project teamviewed: 13-7-2025
