Drawing as a tool for representing and explaining complex structures in Foraminifera

Abstract

This work considers the relevance of drawing in foraminiferal micropaleontology and how drawing has helped to understand and explain the complex architecture of foraminiferal tests. We present a brief anthology of those works on foraminifera in which drawing plays a significant role. The objective is to detect milestones in the illustration of foraminifera throughout history and to explore a trajectory in the evolution of the drawing techniques and concepts applied. Drawing is influenced by technological advances, the artist’s skills, and the aesthetic influences of the moment. We conclude that drawing, a crucial aspect in this scientific discipline, facilitates the understanding and explanation of complex forms. The literature on foraminifera is replete with small gems of drawing art, sometimes created by artists, but other times by the same micropaleontologists who studied fossil material and described the species. This work highlights some of these drawings to analyse their creation process and to show their great artistic value.