01Literature → Data
Nomia Library
An AI-native pipeline that converts scientific PDFs into structured, provenance-tracked bibliographic and taxonomic records at scale.
Learn morePlate IOpen Science Platform
An aggregation and characterisation layer for foram taxonomy.
Foraminifera.org is not a taxonomic authority. It is a long-term open-science platform that adds the morphological character matrix, images, ecology, and the identification filter — while keeping taxonomy synchronized to WoRMS and never forked.
⟢ What We Are
A two-way hub in the global biodiversity network.
The platform occupies a precise, bounded role: it aggregates and characterises — adding the morphological character matrix, specimen images, ecology and distribution, and the identification filter that existing databases do not provide. Taxonomy flows exclusively from WoRMS via continuous AphiaID synchronisation.
As a hub it operates in both directions. It receives: syncing WoRMS, ingesting literature through Nomia, and accepting community contributions through staged curation with mandatory provenance validation. It gives back: serving the catalogue via REST/MCP APIs, exporting in Darwin Core and ColDP for GBIF and OBIS, and publishing citable DOI releases via Zenodo.
Community contributions may enrich morphology, ecology, and bibliography. They never write taxonomy — that authority remains with WoRMS.
"The researcher sees the specimen and recognises the characters — coiling mode, chamber arrangement, aperture type, wall structure. The filter reduces the universe of possible species without requiring them to guess order, family, or genus."
⟢ Data Principles
Five rules that govern every record in the catalogue.
- AphiaID as canonical key
- Every taxon record is keyed by the WoRMS AphiaID and kept in continuous sync. Taxonomy is never forked — updates flow from WoRMS into the platform, never the other way.
- Provenance is mandatory
- Every character state, occurrence record, and bibliographic link carries a traceable source reference. No datum enters the catalogue without it.
- Morphology ≠ interpretation
- Observable morphological characters (coiling mode, aperture type, wall texture) are recorded strictly separately from taxonomic interpretations. The two layers never merge.
- Controlled vocabulary
- A SKOS-structured vocabulary with preferred labels and synonymous aliases resolves the lexical variation found across authors and languages — “foliate” and “foliáceo” map to the same concept.
- FAIR interoperability
- Data is Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable. Exports in Darwin Core and ColDP, citable DOI releases via Zenodo, and open APIs/MCP feeds for both humans and software agents.
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⟢ Platform Architecture
Three pillars. One shared backbone.
Each pillar is an independent sub-project with its own scope, deliverables, and funding track — held together by a single shared data layer keyed by AphiaID.
02Morphological Search
Testaria System
A faceted morphological identification filter: observe the specimen, select the characters you see, and receive a ranked list of candidate species with full provenance.
Learn more03Education
Foram World
A public educational layer that transforms the dense scientific catalogue into structured learning materials, visual guides, and curated publication feeds.
Learn more⟢ Access & Openness
Open by design. No paywalls, no proprietary lock-in.
Web-first, omnichannel
Browser as the primary interface, with REST/GraphQL/MCP endpoints for programmatic access by both humans and AI agents.
FAIR principles
Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable. Citable DOI releases (Zenodo). POSI compliance targeted.
Darwin Core / ColDP export
Structured exports feed GBIF and OBIS directly. Every release is versioned and citable.
Community co-curation
Researchers contribute data, images, and occurrence records through a staged ingest with provenance validation — never bypassing scientific review.
⟢ Leadership
The person behind the platform.
PS
Patrícia Helena Martha Silveira
She/Her
Founder & Scientific Coordinator
Geologist · Micropaleontology Researcher
Research Associate · Department of Marine Science, Coastal Carolina University
A geologist and micropaleontology researcher specialised in benthic foraminifera, with over a decade of experience spanning taxonomy, geoscientific analysis, hydrogeology, and research project management across Brazil and the United States.
She originated the Nomia Project — an AI- and NLP-driven system for organising, structuring, and extracting metadata from micropaleontological literature — which became the foundation for Foraminifera.org. Her work connects traditional taxonomy with modern technology to advance accessibility, reproducibility, and innovation in micropaleontological research.
Expertise
- Benthic foraminifera
- Micropaleontology
- Taxonomy
- Paleoecology
- Hydrogeology
- AI & NLP for science
Languages
- Portuguese
- English
- Spanish
Education
- M.Sc. Geology / Earth Science — UFRJ (2018)
- B.Sc. Geology, Hydrogeology — UFRJ (2013)
Selected Publications
- 01
Evolution of the Paraíba do Sul Deltaic Complex (SE Brazil) based on benthic foraminiferal biofacies succession
Journal of Sedimentary Environments · 2020
- 02
Benthic foraminifera biofacies analysis of the Paraíba do Sul deltaic complex, Eastern Brazil
Journal of South American Earth Sciences · 2018
- 03
Modelo conceitual do aquífero de Itaipuaçu em Maricá – RJ
RBRH — Brazilian Journal of Water Resources · 2015
Pre-MVP · Open Science
A long-term scientific infrastructure project, beginning its arc.
The platform is early-stage and honest about it. The taxonomic data layer is built; the Testaria MVP is in progress; the full pipeline is in design. The mission is 5–10+ years in the making.