Dr. Francisca Oboh-Ikuenobe examines Batiacasphaera obohikuenobeae. Photo by Michael Pierce/Missouri S&T.
When paleontologists say the name “Oboh-Ikuenobe,” they may now need to clarify whether they mean their colleague, Dr. Francisca Oboh-Ikuenobe, or Batiacasphaera obohikuenobeae, an ancient microscopic fossil species from the Arctic Ocean recently named in her honor.
“This news came as quite a surprise to me, and I was delighted to learn of it,” says Oboh-Ikuenobe, a professor of earth sciences and engineering at Missouri S&T. “I’m thankful to my colleagues who made this discovery for thinking of me and recognizing my work in marine palynology.”
Paleontology is the study of ancient life primarily through fossils, while palynology, Oboh-Ikuenobe’s specialty, is a sub-discipline that focuses on tiny organic-walled microfossils, such as pollen, spores and dinoflagellate cysts.
“When people think of paleontology, dinosaurs and other larger fossils that they can see likely come to mind,” says Oboh-Ikuenobe, who also serves as associate dean for academic affairs in S&T’s College of Engineering and Computing. “But palynology operates at a much smaller scale and is at the microscopic level.”
The researchers who found and named the new species are Drs. Appy Sluijs from Utrecht University in the Netherlands and Henk Brinkhuis from the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research. They discovered seven new species and two genera, or categories that group related species, of dinoflagellate cysts from over 50 million years ago, and they named each of them to honor female marine palynologists from around the globe.
Oboh-Ikuenobe says a dinoflagellate cyst is a hard, protective organic covering produced by a type of microscopic plankton during the dormant, or resting, stage of its life cycle. The cysts can survive for millions of years, and they help palynologists study marine environments and climate conditions from past geological periods and eras.
Even though the specimens that palynologists study are small, Oboh-Ikuenobe says their implications for understanding past climates and ecosystems can still be massive.
“Our work can help everyone better understand ancient climates and ecosystems and how they shaped the world we live in today,” she says. “It’s fascinating, and I have loved studying it and sharing my findings with my colleagues and students over the past three-plus decades.”
For more information about S&T’s research and programs related to palynology, visit the earth sciences and engineering website at ese.mst.edu.
Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students located in Rolla, Missouri. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System, Missouri S&T offers over 100 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top public universities for salary impact, according to the Wall Street Journal. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.
Congratulations Dr. Francisca Ikuenobe. I am so proud of you and your research works over the decades. Keep the fire burning. Your work has helped to shape Biostratigraphy in Engineering Geology. As a Wellsite Geologist, I am looking forward to seeing you soon.
Thanks Greg for the post. Special thanks to Dr’s. Happy Sluijs and Henk Brinkhuis for honouring my Aunt in a special way.