foraminifer
/ˌfɔrəˈmɪnəfər/
noun
- A single-celled sea creature that has a hard shell with many small holes, often found as fossils.
- A single foraminifer can be smaller than a grain of sand but holds clues to millions of years of history.
- The scientist studied a foraminifer under the microscope to learn about ancient ocean conditions.
- Foraminifers are important indicators of past climates because their shells preserve in sediment.