Distribution and Factor Analysis of Benthic Foraminifera in Nizampatnam Bay, East Coast of India

Benthic foraminifera from surface sediments of Nizampatnam Bay were studied to determine modern distribution of important assemblages. Q-mode factor analysis of the data distinguished four significant factor assemblages that account for 91.9% of the information given in original data matrix. These assemblages are: 1. Asterorotalia, 2. Quinqueloculina and Spiroloculina, 3. Ammonia and Ammobaculites, 4. Amphistegina. These assemblages show response to environmental variables such as substrate and organic matter content. Abundance of Asterorotalia and Ammonia assemblages (factors I and III) probably reflects organic enrichment of fine sediments in the bay. Quinqueloculina and Amphistegina assemblages (factors II and IV) are found in the sandy substrate in the form of reworked fauna.