Recent Benthic Foraminifera in Surficial Sediment off Kodiyakarai, Palk Bay, Tamilnadu, East Coast of India

Abstract

Various hydrographic parameters such as temperature, salinity, oxygen content as well as bathymetry and substrate condition affect the distribution of foraminifera. However, it has not been convincingly shown that these are the sole factors influencing the distribution of foraminiferal populations in the shelf environment. Recent benthic foraminifera in surficial sediment off Kodiyakarai, Palk Bay, Tamilnadu, east coast of India has been studied. In total, 48 species belonging to 14 families and 22 genus were identified. The following species are widely distributed in the offshore samples, namely Ammonia beccarii, A. dentata, A.tepida, Asterorotalia trispinosa, Spiroloculina communis, Quinqueloculina elongatum, Q.lamarckiana, Q. seminulum, Triloculina trigonula, Elphidium crispum, Parallina hispidula, and Assilina ammonoides. The environmental parameters mainly sediment texture and salinity appear to govern the abundance distribution of foraminifera in this region. Live/ dead ratio in benthic population ranges between 0.7 and 4.39 %. It suggests a low rate of sedimentation in this region.