Paratrochammina Minutissima n.sp. in brackish, marine-derived lakes of the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica

• Published in: The Journal of Foraminiferal Research
• Main Authors: Gibson, JAE, Quilty, PG, Swadling, KM, Newman, L, Paterson, KS
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cushman Foundation Foraminiferal Res 2008
• Subjects: Biological Sciences; Zoology; Zoology not elsewhere classified; Abraxas Lake; Ace Lake; East Antarctica; Vestfold; Vestfold Hills; Antarc*; Antarctica; Antarctica Journal
• Online Access: http://www.cushmanfoundation.org/; https://doi.org/10.2113/gsjfr.38.4.292; http://ecite.utas.edu.au/54443

Paratrochammina minutissima n. sp. is described fromAbraxas and Ace Lakes in the Vestfold Hills, EastAntarctica. The species is characterized by very small size(120 mm diameter), 4K chambers in the final whorl, weakadherence of particles to the tectin chamber lining and arelatively prominent proloculus. Similar species occur in thefully marine environment and often in the abyssal ocean.Subfossil tests were observed in sediment cores from AbraxasLake and nearby Ace Lake. Apparently, living specimens alsooccurred in plankton samples from Abraxas Lake, possiblyindicating a lifestyle partly attached to zooplankton orfloating debris, or floating unattached on density surfaceswithin the meromictic lake. The distribution of subfossilParatrochammina minutissima in the sediments of Ace Lakewas consistent with a marine origin for the species, while thedistribution in the Abraxas Lake sediment indicated that thelake might predate the last glacial maximum.