What are coccoliths?
Q: What are coccoliths?
A: Coccoliths are microscopic algae which form chalk. They are made by one of the most important eukaryote phytoplankton, and their spherical skeleton is known as a coccosphere.
Q: Who first examined coccoliths?
A: Cristian Gottfried Ehrenberg (1795–1875) was the first to examine coccoliths.
Q: How were coccoliths identified as being made by living organisms?
A: Thomas Henry Huxley realised that they were a major part of the rock we call chalk and identified them as being made by living organisms.
Q: What percentage of chalk is composed of coccoliths?
A: Chalk is 95% to 99% composed of coccoliths.
Q: When did the tiny cell produce its first coccosphere?
A: The tiny cell produced its first coccosphere at the end of the Triassic period, 200 million years ago.
Q: What other group of tiny algae makes an entry into the fossil record around this time?
A: Around this same time, another group of tiny algae called diatoms make an entry into the fossil record.
Q: How much do coccoliths contribute to carbonate in deep sea sediments during glacial times in the Northeast Atlantic?
A: During glacial times in the Northeast Atlantic, Coccolithophores contribute less than 70-80% to total carbonate in deep sea sediments.
