Coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi, found in all oceans
The Museum's nannofossil collection is particularly important for ocean acidification studies. It contains both fossil and modern coccolithophores.
Strengths
The nannofossil collections are primarily image catalogues of key species. The catalogues include tens of thousands of scanning electron microscope images featuring a mixture of:
- taxa collected during cruise studies to evaluate the biology of living coccoliths
- fossil material.
Reference collection
We also hold a microfossil reference collection of nannofossils for the Ocean Drilling Programme, a key resource for coccolithophore research.
This contains approximately 5,000 slides covering the range of sediments recovered by the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) and Ocean Drilling Project (ODP).
Looking for a specimen?
The nannofossil collection is being digitised
Major collections
Former British Petroleum micropalaeontology collection
Contains the microfossil well-run samples from British Petroleum's exploration activities since the 1950s, including slides and residues from over 3,800 well and outcrop localities worldwide.
The collection includes:
- micropalaeontological slides
- palynological slides (c. 78,000)
- nannofossil slides
- faunal slides
- loose specimens
- residues
- the former British Petroleum microfossil reference collection (foraminifera and ostracoda)
Search the former British Petroleum microfossil database
Reference collection
We also hold a reference collection of nannofossils, a key resource for coccolithophore research that we maintain on behalf of the Ocean Drilling Programme. It contains approximately 5,000 slides covering the range of sediments recovered by the Deep Sea Drilling Project and Ocean Drilling Project.
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Reticulofenestra sessilis (yellow-green) forms unique symbiotic assocations with the diatom Thalassiosira (pink). This specimen is from the Gulf of Mexico.
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A Syracosphaera anthos coccosphere from the Western Mediterranean. False coloured to show the shell is formed of inner and outer layers of coccoliths with very different structure.
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Holococcolith, Periphyllophora mirabilis. The hole surrounded by coccoliths (green) is the flagellar opening. This specimen is from the Alboran Sea, western Mediterranean.
Any questions ?
If you would like to use any specimens for research
Micropaleontology blog
Catch up with the curator of micropalaeontology's blog
Accessing the collections
Scientists and collections management specialists can visit the collections and borrow specimens for research.
Collections management
Our duty is to provide a safe and secure environment for all of our collections.
Collections on the move
We have set out on an ambitious programme to develop a new science and digitisation centre. As we prepare for the move, access to some collections will be affected.
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