We have examined the effect of storing foraminifera under various conditions (air-drying, freezing, chemical fixation) on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of foraminiferal DNA. The best results were obtained with frozen and air-dried samples. PCR amplification was successful with air-dried samples stored at room temperature for up to 11 weeks. Positive results were also obtained with foraminifera stored for 2 and 3 years, although the size of amplification products was limited to 500 bp. The size of DNA fragments amplifiedfrom ethanol and formaldehyde fixed samples was also limited. Successful amplification of DNA was achieved from dried specimens following their examination by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which opens new perspectives for comparative studies of molecular and morphologic variations in foraminifera.