They're called foraminifera, single-celled protists that construct shells. Protists are a kingdom of celled organisms distinct from animals, plants, and fungi. Other types of protists include algae and slime molds.There are an estimated 4,000 species of living foraminifera. They inhabit a wide range of marine environments, mostly on the ocean bottom, though some live in the upper 300 feet (100 meters) or so of the ocean. A few species are found in fresh water and on land.
In recent years scientists have found bacteria living miles beneath the Earth's surface and snuggled up to scalding hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor. There is even evidence that bacteria live in Antarctic lakes that have been covered by ice for thousands of years.
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