A record of foraminiferal assemblage in tsunami sediments alongNagappattinam coast, Tamil Nadu

摘要

This study documents the assemblages of foraminifera and its distribution pattern in the tsunami inundation areas of Nagappattinam coast, Tamil Nadu, India. The maximum inundation locations were chosen on the tsunami-hit Nagappattinam coast (Vilundamavadi, Kameshwaram, Velankanni and Nagappattinam) for present faunal documentation. A total of 22 species belonging to 15 genera of benthic and one species of planktic foraminifera are identified in the tsunami sediments. Q-mode cluster analysis was carried out to understand the distribution pattern, which inferred five biotopes. This preliminary work on foraminiferal distribution infers that the benthic foraminiferal assemblages recorded in tsunami sediments are habitat of coastal to inner shelf environment.