Parmales in sediments of Prydz Bay, East Antarctica: a new biofacies and paleoenvironmental indicator of cold water deposition?

• Published in: Micropaleontology
• Main Authors: Franklin, DC, Marchant, HJ
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Micropaleontology Press 1995
• Subjects: Earth Sciences; Geology; Palaeontology (incl. Palynology); Antarctic; East Antarctica; Prydz Bay; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.2307/1485885; http://ecite.utas.edu.au/4297

Siliceous wall plates of two species of Parmales are present in varying abundance in the surficial and downcore sediments of Prydz Bay. These organisms have a dramatically higher abundance and greater species diversity in polar and sub-polarenvironments than is seen in temperate and tropical waters. Based on the finding of abundant and well-preserved walls of these organisms in Antarctic sediments, it is suggest that they represent a useful biofacies and paleoenvironmental marker for deposition from cold water, and a potentially new biostratigraphic tool. -Authors