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Upper Campanian Foraminifera


Foram-Mike

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Upper Campanian foraminifera from Northern Germany. We found in the quarry of Laegerdorf near Hamburg.

We think it is a Lituola. What's your opinion ? It is agglutinated and the specimens have such areal, multiple openings.

See more of our finds at

https://foraminifera.eu/loc.php?locality=Laegerdorf+Neue+Heidestrasse

laegtwit.jpg

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Foram-Mike, Owner of www.foraminifera.eu
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  • 5 months later...
On 7/24/2020 at 6:19 AM, Foram-Mike said:

Upper Campanian foraminifera from Northern Germany. We found in the quarry of Laegerdorf near Hamburg.

We think it is a Lituola. What's your opinion ? It is agglutinated and the specimens have such areal, multiple openings.

See more of our finds at

https://foraminifera.eu/loc.php?locality=Laegerdorf+Neue+Heidestrasse

laegtwit.jpg

How did you slice the foram to expose the chambers?

 

Bone

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12 hours ago, Bonehunter said:

How did you slice the foram to expose the chambers?

 

Bone

For microscope prep a number of methods are used dependent on the type of microscopy intended.

 

For really, really small stuff a resin embed followed by section with a device called a microtome is extremely common, albeit time consuming. Often a bit of vacuum is needed to ensure penetration.

This process stabilizes the specimen and allows it to be cut or micro polished.

Microtome blades make razor blades look dull!

( I have no fingerprint on one finger on one hand due to swapping out a microtome blade a while back. So sharp I didn't even feel the complete loss of the pad and the tip of my gloves! If I hadn't noticed blood all over my workspace, I wouldn't have even noticed the injury! Yes- that SHARP)

This technique is used for both optical and many electronic microscopy methods for just about anything small and fragile.

 

 For larger specimens like this one (just a bit under 2mm) a quick vacuum embed in a soft resin or wax, followed by a few passes with ultra-fine grade abrasives will expose the chambers. Then a solvent bath dissolves away the resin/wax producing a result like this one. This method is best for optical microscopy like the image posted.

 

Many of the really tiny stuff posted on the site linked is done with SEM, or scanning electron microscopy or per haps TEM (transition electron microscopy).

There can be extra steps such as coating the specimens with nanoparticles of a metal like osmium or gold electrostatically or impregnation with metals or radioactive elements for contrast, though such things are generally reserved for extant biologicals since micro and nano fossils are generally already made of hard electron reflecting materials.

 

There are a number of different techniques for microtome work (the slicing) that range from what is basically the most dangerous hand operated mini deli slicer to fancy automated systems that use cryogenic temperatures and exotic chemicals to get cuts so exact things like mitochondria and chloroplasts can be sectioned in situ of the cell.

 

 

I admit, I am a bit jealous of these images...I work with extant worms about the same size as this foram that basically explode if you sneeze within a meter of them...takes three weeks to process a specimen (I do 25 at a time) and even then you only get about a 2% chance of getting the "slice" and view of what you are looking for.

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On 7/24/2020 at 6:19 AM, Foram-Mike said:

Upper Campanian foraminifera from Northern Germany. We found in the quarry of Laegerdorf near Hamburg.

We think it is a Lituola. What's your opinion ? It is agglutinated and the specimens have such areal, multiple openings.

See more of our finds at

https://foraminifera.eu/loc.php?locality=Laegerdorf+Neue+Heidestrasse

laegtwit.jpg

May I enquire as to what equipment was used for this excellent photo? I have a high appreciation for high resolution optical microphotography!

 

Your SEM images are magnificent too!

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11 hours ago, LabRatKing said:

For microscope prep a number of methods are used dependent on the type of microscopy intended.

 

For really, really small stuff a resin embed followed by section with a device called a microtome is extremely common, albeit time consuming. Often a bit of vacuum is needed to ensure penetration.

This process stabilizes the specimen and allows it to be cut or micro polished.

Microtome blades make razor blades look dull!

( I have no fingerprint on one finger on one hand due to swapping out a microtome blade a while back. So sharp I didn't even feel the complete loss of the pad and the tip of my gloves! If I hadn't noticed blood all over my workspace, I wouldn't have even noticed the injury! Yes- that SHARP)

This technique is used for both optical and many electronic microscopy methods for just about anything small and fragile.

 

 For larger specimens like this one (just a bit under 2mm) a quick vacuum embed in a soft resin or wax, followed by a few passes with ultra-fine grade abrasives will expose the chambers. Then a solvent bath dissolves away the resin/wax producing a result like this one. This method is best for optical microscopy like the image posted.

 

Many of the really tiny stuff posted on the site linked is done with SEM, or scanning electron microscopy or per haps TEM (transition electron microscopy).

There can be extra steps such as coating the specimens with nanoparticles of a metal like osmium or gold electrostatically or impregnation with metals or radioactive elements for contrast, though such things are generally reserved for extant biologicals since micro and nano fossils are generally already made of hard electron reflecting materials.

 

There are a number of different techniques for microtome work (the slicing) that range from what is basically the most dangerous hand operated mini deli slicer to fancy automated systems that use cryogenic temperatures and exotic chemicals to get cuts so exact things like mitochondria and chloroplasts can be sectioned in situ of the cell.

 

 

I admit, I am a bit jealous of these images...I work with extant worms about the same size as this foram that basically explode if you sneeze within a meter of them...takes three weeks to process a specimen (I do 25 at a time) and even then you only get about a 2% chance of getting the "slice" and view of what you are looking for.

I'm familiar with prepping tissues for histopathology and the equipment used for SEM, TEM, etc. My interest was in the decalcification and orientation process for a longitudinal section- very well done and cool as heck!!! :) 

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 enter micrometer (um) value of length unit to convert micrometer to millimeter. Tiny! It would be nice to know the equipment and lighting source. Not any trade secrets. I'm only a hobbyist with used equipment. 

1610 um = 1.61 mm
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