Radiolarians are planktonic sarcodines with silicate skeletons. While heterotrophic, many exploit symbiotic algae. Their phylogeny is relatively obscure and has led Colomban de Vargas to say 'They disturb the tree of life!'. This particular organism was difficult to photograph because the spicules seem to stick out in all possible directions. It was preserved with Lugol's and found in a sample from the NW Medit Sea at 30 m depth in October.