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Story: Plankton

Radiolarian fossils

Radiolarian fossils

Radiolaria are single-celled predatory organisms encased in a silica shell. They capture their food by extending parts of their body through holes in the silica frame, and trapping passing prey. Like diatoms, their skeleton is preserved in ocean sediments. These 60-million-year-old radiolaria were extracted from a deep-sea core from the Campbell Plateau, just south of New Zealand.

About this item

GNS Science
Reference: D100003
Photograph by Chris Hollis

Permission of GNS Science must be obtained before any use of this image

How to cite this page:

Maggy Wassilieff. 'Plankton', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 24-Sep-11
URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/plankton/2/2