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Dec

Microfossil Image Competition 2021

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Diatoms are tiny, silica-shelled phytoplankton. Not only are they an important part of marine ecosystems and useful tools for studying past climate – this Asteromphalus flabellatus proves that they are also amazingly beautiful!

The Micropalaeontological Society is delighted to announce the winner of the 2020 Micropalaeontology Image Competition!

The overall image winner was submitted by Isabel Dove from the University of Rhode Island – Graduate School of Oceanography, with a beautiful image of the diatom species Asteromphalus flabellatus. Not only does Isabel win the competition’s first prize of €200, but her image is also included on the front cover of our TMSoc2021 Calendar (note these are now sold out)!

On behalf of the Society we would like to congratulate Isabel on her success. Eleven additional winners were selected from the fantastic submissions, and are on display below! A wide variety of microfossils and imaging techniques have been championed this year, and we are already looking forward to next year’s competition.

Additional winners

Odysseas Archontikis and Jeremy Young, University of Oxford and University College London

Coccolith ultrastructure of *Cyclicargolithus floridanus*. Each coccolith is composed of two interconnecting cycles of the same crystal units, known as the R-units. Coccosphere specimen is c. 10μm in diameter and was collected from Early Miocene dark sapropelic sediments.

Hilary H. Birks, University of Bergen, Norway

Seed of mountain chickweed, *Cerastium cerastoides*. This creeping arctic-alpine plant bears large white chickweed flowers, characteristic of its family, Caryophyllaceae. It grows in seepage zones from melting snowbeds usually in open gravel or stones. The bean-shaped seeds, about 1.5 mm long, have an amazing pattern of humpy interlocking cells.

Seed of sea campion, *Silene maritima*. The grey-leaved plants form loose mats and bear large white flowers typical of its family, Caryophyllaceae. It inhabits sea-cliffs, seaside walls, shingle banks, and drift-lines on seashores. Its bean-shaped seeds, about 2 mm long, have an amazing pattern of interlocking jig-saw cells

Damián Cárdenas, Missouri University of Science and Technology

Catching a glimpse of organic-walled microfossils

Dimitris Evangelinos, Instituto Andaluz de Ciencias de la Tierra – CSIC – Universidad de Granada

Diatom buried in calcareous nannofossils

Sahina Gazi, National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, India

Calcareous Nannofossils from the Indian Sector of Southern Ocean

Hannah Hartung, University of Cologne

Look, which surprise: a baby-like Radiolaria in the belly of its mother

Susan Richardson, Florida Atlantic University

Slice through shell of an ancient foraminiferan *Rauserella erratica*. Image shows the discoidal shape of the early shell which results from regular coiling in a single plane. In later stages, the shell becomes uncoiled as the axis of coiling shift. Shells collected from reef-associated habitats in Permian-aged rocks of North America.

Mariem Saavedra-Pellitero, University of Birmingham

During COVID-19 lockdown, I experienced a great personal tragedy. I drew these two coccospheres of *Emiliania huxleyi* (type A and type O) to cheer myself up. I hope this watercolor will bring a smile to others.

Nicolai Schleinkofer, Goethe University, Frankfurt

Parasitic foraminifera (*Hyrokkin sarcophaga*) on host organism (*Acesta excavata*, bivalve). The bored hole is visible as well as the defense reaction of the bivalve (callus formation to close the boring)

Yan Yu Ting, Earth Observatory of Singapore

A showcase of nature’s meticulous design skills – a handful of tropical benthic foraminifera imaged at various angles using microscope.

Dec

TMS quiz

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Come and join our January Blues TMS Science Quiz, hosted by the amazing Samuel Langford!! Rounds include general science questions, a picture round and a music round. All general science so no microfossil taxonomy knowledge required!

£3.50 for members / £6 for non-members (any profits will go to TMS student grants)
Science fun guaranteed
Everyone welcome! You don’t have to be a TMS member

By buying a ticket you agree to adhere to the TMS Code of Conduct

Dec

TMS Annual Conference 2021

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We are looking for volunteers to host next year’s Annual Conference! The Annual Conference takes place in November and typically consists of a day of keynote speakers, Society business and the conference dinner (in case of a physical meeting), followed by a day of talks and posters. We hope that by this time next year we will be able to have a physical meeting again, but if the situation requires a (partly) virtual meeting, TMS will be able to assist with setting up a virtual platform.

As many past meetings have been UK-based, we are now looking for a location outside the UK. If you would like to volunteer to host the meeting in November 2021, please send a short (<5 min) promotion video about your proposed meeting location to events@tmsoc.org. This can be very simple, such as powerpoint slides with recorded audio. Useful information to include are potential venues, possible accommodation options (e.g. affordable options for students) and travel information. Green transport options such as trains are a plus! Deadline for submission is 31 December.

In January all videos will be published through the TMS channels for members to vote on their favourite location. The winning location will be announced by the end of January. If you have any questions please email the Events Secretary Anieke Brombacher (events@tmsoc.org)

Oct

New paper

Tags: Journal of Micropalaeontology, Publications

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A new paper has been published in the Journal of Micropalaeontology:

Desmocysta hadra, a new Late Cretaceous dinoflagellate cyst species: stratigraphic range, palaeogeographic distribution and palaeoecology
Manuel Vieira and Salih Mahdi

Sep

TMS newsletter

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The September edition of the TMS newsletter has now been published and is available for download here (along with all the previous editions).

Sep

TMS Annual Conference 2020

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Micropalaeontology in the 21st Century

Registration is now open

This year’s Annual Conference, will take place online, 11th to 13th November 2020. The three days will consist of a combination of keynote speakers, open talks and posters. For more information, click here.

As part of the conference we are also holding a one day workshop on Tuesday 10th November to discuss Microfossil Geochemistry.

TMS AGM 2020 1st circular

1 file(s) 5.69 MB

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TMS Workshop poster

1 file(s) 3.60 MB

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Jul

First circular for INA18

Tags: Conference, Events, Nannofossils, Nannoplankton

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The 18th International Nannoplankton Association Meeting will be held at the Palais des Papes Conference Centre, Avignon, France between 29th August and 2th September 2021. We hope that everyone will be able to travel safely a year from now, and we are looking forward to a large turnout from the entire calcareous nannoplankton community, especially from those within Europe.

As is the tradition, we plan to organize a 1-day fieldtrip on the Sunday 29th August (followed by the Icebreaker Party), and a 2-day fieldtrip after the conference (3-4th September). Both will be in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur Region.

In the autumn, there will be a call for session and workshop proposals, so please start thinking about anything you are interested in proposing. Further information can be found at the conference website: https://ina18.sciencesconf.org/, which we will update as the conference dates approach with registration details etc. We expect to open early-bird registration in early 2021.

We look forward to hosting you in Avignon,
Sincerely,
The INA18 organisers: L. Beaufort, C. Bolton & B. Suchéras-Marx
CEREGE, Aix-en-Provence, France
ina18 (at) cerege.fr

Jun

TMS statement on Black Lives Matter

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As a society which has members globally, TMS denounces racism in all its forms and stands in firm support and solidarity with our Black & Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) Community Members, colleagues and friends – wherever in the world you might be. We stand with you, we thank you, we see you, we hear you.

TMS welcomes all comments and feedback about our initiatives & events, to create a more equitable, diverse, accessible and inclusive TMS (more soon) and to start and continue conversations about how we can best support everybody in the community, ongoing action is needed.

If you are interested to learn more, and about how you can support the Black and BIPOC community, The Paleontological Society has compiled a great list of resources, which we encourage you to look at: https://www.paleosoc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Paleontological-Society-How-to-Be-an-Anti-Racism-Ally.pdf .

#BlackLivesMatter

Jun