Living Benthic Foraminiferal Assemblages of Pulicat Lake, East Coast of India

This paper attempts to document the dominant living foraminiferal assemblages in 30 sampling stations in Pulicat lake during the four seasons of a year. Nearly 35 living species have been identified and their relative abundance was analyzed using Q-mode factor analysis programme. In each season, six faunal assemblages at an average of 64.5% of the observed variance emerged from the analysis. Statistical studies have revealed that the most significant assemblage is characterized by Florilus labrodoricum and F. grateloupi (av. 25.1%). Foraminiferal variation throws light on water mass characters such as salinity, water depth and the bottom sediments.