Vellaria zucchellii sp. nov. a new monothalamous foraminifer from Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica

Vellaria zucchellii sp. nov. is described from coastal sediment samples from Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea, Antarctica, 74°40′28.1″S, 164°04′11.6″E, Tethys Bay, 25 m depth). This organic-walled monothalamous (single chambered) foraminifer is characterized by a wide, prominent aperture that facilitates at...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Antarctic Science
Main Authors: SABBATINI, ANNA, PAWLOWSKI, JAN, GOODAY, ANDREW J., PIRAINO, STEFANO, BOWSER, SAMUEL S., MORIGI, CATERINA, NEGRI, ALESSANDRA
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2004
Subjects:
Indian
Ross Sea
Terra Nova Bay
Tethys Bay
Antarc*
Antarctic Science
Antarctica
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102004002081
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102004002081
Description
Summary:Vellaria zucchellii sp. nov. is described from coastal sediment samples from Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea, Antarctica, 74°40′28.1″S, 164°04′11.6″E, Tethys Bay, 25 m depth). This organic-walled monothalamous (single chambered) foraminifer is characterized by a wide, prominent aperture that facilitates attachment to larger particles (small sand grains or other foraminiferal shells). It shares this feature with the two other known species of Vellaria , both of which were described from an Indian estuary. Phylogenetic analysis of small subunit rRNA gene sequences suggest that V. zucchellii is related to the genus Psammophaga . However, the new species lacks the mineral grain inclusions that are characteristic of Psammophaga . The description of this new organic-walled monothalamous foraminiferal species further documents the high taxonomic diversity of these delicate and abundant protists in the polar benthic communities.

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