Progress in the classification of fusulinid Foraminifera is hampered by difficulties of access to the original observations on which the numerous taxa are based. An estimate has been made of the work involved to collect a suitable new data base for a classification of the whole group.

A reasonably full description of a single fusulinid test needs serial sections and involves about 800 measurements and about 40 descriptive terms. A satisfactory classification could be based on morphological information from approximately 50,000 individuals taken from 500 rock samples. A data base for determining the stratigraphical distribution of taxa would need information from an additional 100,000 individuals from about 50 major stratigraphical sequences. In all, 150,000 individuals must be serial sectioned and more than 100,000,000 measurements made.

Using available techniques for the serial sectioning of rocks to 250-micron intervals and for semiautomatic measurement of morphological features, it would be possible to collect the data in about 40 man-years of laboratory work. Spread through a 5-yr period this is well within the resources now deployed on the study of fusulines. The outstanding obstacles are the coordination of the collection and communication of the data, and the obtaining of some measure of agreement on what to collect. However, it is not necessary to decide on a method of constructing a classification before making the observations. Indeed if such a large data base was available readily, a classification in the conventional sense would no longer be needed for many purposes. Moreover the data-processing system whi h would be necessary to manage the data also would enable multiple classifications to be maintained should this be necessary.

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