Factor Analysis of Benthic Foraminifera from Coastal and Estuarine Sediments of Kovalam-Tuticorin, South India

This study investigates the present faunal geographical boundaries and environmental limits of foraminifera in the southeast coast of India. Ninety samples were examined. The raw data of foraminiferal population was analysed with the R-mode factor analysis program. Twelve factor assemblages, explaining 74% of the observed variance emerged from this test. The statistically most important assemblage is Ammonia beccarii, Asterorotalia dentata. The last assemblage is represented by Rectobolivina raphana. These assemblages reflect the hyposaline to hypersaline conditions and sandy to muddy sand substrate environment. The cross plot of the first two factors shows the separation of two groups as lower, which is dominated by Miliolids and seconded by Rotaliids and upper group is predominately represented by Rotaliids. Physico-chemical parameters could be the reason for the separate grouping of the species.