Triticites

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Triticites is a genus of foraminifera, tiny single-celled marine organisms with calcium carbonate shells. It belongs to the order Fusulinida and the family Schwagerinidae. The name means “grain of wheat,” because its shells are wheat-grain shaped. More than 400 species have been identified. Triticites lived in ancient seas during the Paleozoic era, with fossils dating from Moscovian to Capitanian times.

Shells and appearance:
- Shape: elongated, fusiform (wheat-grain like) with pointed ends.
- Shell wall: two layers — a tectum about 5–8 microns thick and a keriotheca of varying thickness.
- Chambers (alveoli): in basal species they are thin-walled and not easily seen.
- Septa: irregular and blister-like at the poles; pores between chambers (septal pores) are often visible in the outer layers.
- Septal fluting: in older species, fluting is mainly near the poles; in more derived species it can extend from the axis toward the polar regions to varying degrees.
- Chromata: small openings.

Distinction:
Triticites is distinguished from the related Schwagerina by its chomata, which are more conspicuous on its shells.