Modern coccosphere: Complete coccosphere of Coccolithus pelagicus. Pleistocene. South African continental slope. Scanning electron micrograph. Courtesy of W. G. Siesser, Vanderbilt University. Copyright Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research, Inc., 1987.

Cretaceous coccolith assemblage, showing Watznauria barnesae, Zygodiscus elegans, Hayesites sp., and Rotelapillus laffittei. Scale at the bottom of the scanning electron micrograph is 1 micron between dots. Upper Albian to upper Cenomanian in age. Deep-Sea Drilling Project Site 417D-17-1, central west Atlantic Ocean. Courtesy of W. G. Siesser, Vanderbilt University. Copyright Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research, Inc., 1987.

Coccolith: Chiasmolithus solitus from the proximal side in phase-contrast illumination on left and cross-polarized light on the right. Specimen is approximately 5 microns in size. Middle Eocene. Courtesy of W. G. Siesser, Vanderbilt University. Copyright Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research, Inc., 1987.

Coccolith: Chiasmolithus oamaruensis. Distal side in phase-contrast illumination on left and cross-polarized light on the right. Specimen is approximately 5 microns in size. Upper Eocene. Courtesy of W. G. Siesser, Vanderbilt University. Copyright Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research, Inc., 1987.

Coccolith: Rhabdosphaera claviger, a rhabdolith from the Pleistocene on the South African continental shelf. Scanning electron micrograph. Courtesy of W. G. Siesser, Vanderbilt University. Copyright Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research, Inc., 1987.

Discoaster: The calcareous nannoplankton microfossil (discoaster), Discoaster surculus, from the Lower Pliocene, South Africa. Scanning electron micrograph. Courtesy of W. G. Siesser, Vanderbilt University. Copyright Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research, Inc., 1987.

Discoaster: Discoaster tani. Middle Eocene, Alabama. Specimen is almost 10 microns. Light micrograph in phase contrast. Courtesy of W. G. Siesser, Vanderbilt University. Copyright Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research, Inc., 1987.

Ceratolith: Ceratolithus cristatus. Pleistocene, South African continental slope. Scanning electron micrograph. Courtesy of W. G. Siesser, Vanderbilt University. Copyright Cushman Foundation for Foraminiferal Research, Inc., 1987.