Taxonomic composition and distribution of soft-walled monothalamid foraminifera in the area of Zernov’s Phyllophora Field (NW Black Sea)

ABSTRACT

We studied assemblages of soft-walled, single-chambered foraminifera (monothalamids) at eight stations in the area of Zernov's Phyllophora Field (ZPF) on the NW continental shelf of the Black Sea. This work is based on samples collected during Cruise 70 of the RV Professor Vodyanitsky and provides the first analysis of the taxonomic composition of monothalamids from this region. These delicate, poorly known foraminifera were found at all stations in the studied area. They were represented by nine forms that are identified to species or genus level as well as 14 undescribed species, nine of which are found in the Black Sea for the first time. Four species, Psammophaga sp., Vellaria pellucida, Goodayia rostellata and Krymia fusiformis, were most abundant, with Psammophaga sp. being the dominant species overall. Previous studies have suggested a link between members of this genus and eutrophication. There are a number of taxonomic parallels between these ZPF assemblages and those from the Adriatic Sea, e.g. the occurrence of the genera Goodayia, Psammophaga and Vellaria, although it is possible that some other taxa are endemic to the Black Sea.

RESPONSIBLE EDITOR:

• Tomas Cedhagen

KEYWORDS:

• Allogromiids
• benthic foraminifera
• diversity
• Psammophaga
• Phyllophora

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Lyudmila Lukyanova for help with processing of the samples and Tat’yana Revkova for help with the environmental data table. We are also grateful to Kate Davis for preparing the final versions of Figures 1 and 3, and to two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. Finally, we thank all colleagues involved in sampling during the cruise.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.