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Alix Cage

@alixcage.bsky.social

Palaeoceanographer/Geoscientist. Lover of benthic #foraminifera and #ForamFriday. Dreams of living by the sea. Occasional personal life posts! She/Her.

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Alix Cage@alixcage.bsky.social · last yr.

Hi! My son, Jim, has been selected for the England Men's #Volleyball U22s in the CEV Qualifiers in Italy! Unfortunately, volleyball receives v. little funding & so players have to self-fund. If you want to help Jim on his volleyball journey, that would be great! gofund.me/2181bfc2 Much appreciated!

Donate to Help James Cox Represent England in Volleyball, organized by Matthew Cox

Help Me Represent England at International Volleyball Tournaments Hi, I… Matthew Cox needs your support for Help James Cox Represent England in Volleyball

gofund.me

Alix Cage@alixcage.bsky.social · 2y ago

Hyalinea balthica (Schröter, 1783) x 200 (v small, usually larger) from Loch Sunart. This planispiral evolute #foraminifera is easily distinguished by its thick glassy walls separating the chambers & thick glassy periphery. Likes organic rich seds & cooler waters. (Nearly!) #ForamFriday.

SEM image of a benthic foraminifera.
Alix Cage@alixcage.bsky.social · 2y ago

I did say there would be some personal life posts! Proud mum moment! Well done to my boy, James Cox! Top Setter in @volleyballengland Super Series #3 (play offs between the top 8 teams in England). Also, England U17 Men's #volleyball captain in the 2024 NEVZA tournament in Denmark! Go Jim! 🏐 👏

Alix Cage@alixcage.bsky.social · 2y ago

It's nearly time! Christmas tree candidate #1! Spiroplectinella wrightii (Silvestri, 1903) (was Spiroplectammina wrightii) x 55 from Loch Sunart. A common UK shelf benthic #foraminifera species; groups with other taxa that suggest saline waters & higher energy environments. #ForamFriday

SEM image of a benthic foraminifera - looks a bit like a Christmas tree in shape!
Alix Cage@alixcage.bsky.social · 2y ago

One of my fave agglutinated #foraminifera Recurvoidella bradyi (Robertson, 1891; superseded Haplophragmoides bradyi) x180 from Loch Sunart, Scotland. Amazes me how #forams are so particular about grain mineralogy & size. This one has a smooth, shiny test of tiny grains & is usually a browny-orange.

SEM image of an agglutinated benthic foraminifera
Alix Cage@alixcage.bsky.social · 2y ago

They are heading out of the weather now, but yesterday my PhD student, Ally, was in the middle of the Celtic Sea on RV Tom Crean with Dr Mark Coughlan (UCD) and his team, collecting samples and data for #bluecarbon studies in shelf seas. What a great experience for him! Thanks Mark & team!

Location of RV Tom Crean in the Celtic Sea - taken from marine traffic.com
Alix Cage@alixcage.bsky.social · 2y ago

Recurvoides trochamminiformis Höglund, 1947 (x 200) from Loch Sunart, NW Scotland. I like the way agglutinated #foraminifera can select different grain sizes - here the grain size is much finer around the aperture, giving a distinct edge/lip. #ForamFriday (Ignore the '10' - that's from my plate!)

SEM image of a benthic foraminifera.
Alix Cage@alixcage.bsky.social · 2y ago

I've not posted here for a while but here is a late #ForamFriday! Cassidulina obtusa Williamson, 1858. x250. Loch Sunart, Scotland. Usually found in more temperate waters. Signature characteristic - that little indent at the top of the aperture.

A greyscale SEM image of a benthic foraminifera on a black background.
Alix Cage@alixcage.bsky.social · 3y ago

No #ForamFriday from me because I was busy getting my lad ready for this! Super proud of my boy, and of the hard work & commitment these kids & their coaches at #Volleyball England and club level have put in to make this happen! What a fantastic set of boys and girls too! Enjoy yourselves! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏐💪😍

Screenshot of a Twitter post from Volleyball England wishing the U17 boys and girls squads good luck for the NEVZA comp in Denmark. The photo shows the squads all together dressed in red and black England training strips.
Alix Cage@alixcage.bsky.social · 3y ago

Revisiting previous 🐦 posts to share the #foraminifera love here and on 🟦! Melonis affinis (Reuss, 1851) x 80 from Loch Sunart, Scotland. Loves food! Was Melonis barleeanum in my PhD thesis. Species name checked in marinespecies.org/index.php - are really useful resource! #ForamFriday

A greyscale scanning electron microscope image of a benthic foraminifera. The foraminifera is in greyscale. The background is very dark grey. The shape is coiled a bit like the shape of an ammonite.
Alix Cage@alixcage.bsky.social · 3y ago

Last year, I thought this might be my last #ForamFriday Twitter post, so happy to have it here as my 1st 🟦! Eggerelloides scabrum (Williamson, 1858) - a dominant #agglutinated #foraminifera in the inner basin of Loch Sunart. x85 for both images. Images show microspheric and megalospheric growth.

SEM image of a benthic foraminifera. The test or shell, is made of grains stuck together with an organic cement. The texture looks quite rugged. The apex of the foram is quite pointy.SEM image of a benthic foraminifera. The test or shell, is made of grains stuck together with an organic cement. The texture looks quite rugged. The apex of the foram is far more rounded than the previous specimen due to differences in chamber growth.