I oraminifera were examined in samples collected during the 58~(th) (2013) and 59~(th) Russian Antarctic Expeditions (2013 2014) in the Western and Eastern Antarctic areas in the Bellingshausen Sea, Bransfteld Strait, Prydz Bay, Davis Sea, and Southern Ocean at depths between 107 and 995 meters, with the majority of samples situated in the shelf zone. In total 39 benthic and one planktonic species were found. All the benthic species are pan-Antarctic, only Neogloboquadrina pachyderma shows a bipolar distribution. The assemblages at several stations were fully or predominantly agglutinated, possibly as a consequence of dissolution processes, at some others - predominantly or fully calcareous. Calcareous forms prevailed at relatively shallow depths (70 220 m). Among the calcareous species miliolids prevail, their magnesium containing shells arc obviously more resistant to dissolution processes. Foraminifera of all the samples were recent and living, containing cytoplasm. The new data on the distribution of the recent benthic foraminifera permits a better understanding of the paleoecological conditions of the geological past. The new data obtained are also important for the comparison of the marine biotas in the Western and Eastern parts of Antarctica.
展开▼