Distribution and Ecology of Recent Foraminifera from Littoral Sediments of Eastern India

This study presents first comprehensive account of foraminifera along the east coast of India on the basis of 96 surface samples from the littoral sediments collected at 16 stations along the 2500 km long coastal stretch. The obtained assemblage of dead Recent foraminifera is dominated by the family Miliolidae (35%), followed by Rotaliidae (18%), Elphidiidae (1 1 %), Nonionidae, (7%), Cassidulinidae (5%), Globigerinidae and Discorbidae (4% each), Fursenkoinidae, Loxostomatidae, Eponididae, Amphisteginidae and Nummulitidae (2% each).

Five species namely, Rosalina australis, Cibicides cf. C. subhaidingerii, Noniorzoirles grateloupi, Hyalinea asiana, Pseudorotalia indopacifican are being reported for the first time from the Indian waters. The systematics, morphological variations, and distribution patterns of some selected species of the Recent foraminifera of this study has been discussed vis-a-vis reviews on the ecological parameters from other regions.