Siliceous ooze is a
siliceous pelagic sediment that covers large areas of the
deep ocean floor. Siliceous oozes consist predominantly of the remains of microscopic sea creatures, mostly those of
diatoms and
radiolarians. Sometimes siliceous oozes also contain
silicoflagellates and the
spicules of
sponges.
- Diatoms are golden-brown algae that construct an opaline silica microscopic shell that is known as a "frustule".
- Silicoflagellates are a minor group of marine algae that construct microscopic shells composed of opaline silica.
- Radiolarians are marine protists that also construct microscopic shells composed of opaline silica and are distant relatives of the foraminifera.