Marine Biodiversity

, Volume 42, Issue 3, pp 311–327 | Cite as

Large, enigmatic foraminiferan-like protists in the eastern part of the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (abyssal north-eastern subequatorial Pacific): biodiversity and vertical distribution in the sediment

  • Olga Kamenskaya
  • Andrew J. Gooday
  • Teresa Radziejewska
  • Brygida Wawrzyniak-Wydrowska
Original Paper
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Abstract

Komokiaceans and similar large (millimetre-sized to centimetre-sized) testate protists resembling Foraminifera are a ubiquitous and often dominant component of abyssal macrofaunal assemblages. Yet they are often overlooked and many forms are undescribed, often at the genus or higher taxon level. As a result, they represent a major source of unknown biodiversity in the deep sea. We studied the diversity and vertical distribution of these delicate, often fragmentary organisms in sediment samples (0- to 6-cm layer) collected from three sites in the eastern part of the Clarion-Clipperton polymetallic nodule field (subequatorial NE Pacific) during the 1997 cruise of the RV Professor Logachev organised by the Interoceanmetal Joint Organization (IOM). A total of 102 morphospecies and morphotypes was recorded (28-69 per station), indicating an extremely diverse assemblage. Although most were found in the uppermost 2 cm, deeper sediment layers also yielded some species. This is one of only a few studies of komokiaceans and related organisms in this part of the Pacific. It contributes to baseline knowledge of abyssal communities in an area targeted for future commercial nodule mining operations.

Keywords

Protista Rhizaria Agglutinated Foraminifera Komokiacea Pacific Ocean Polymetallic nodule field 
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Notes

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education grant No. N303 371036. O.K. received additional support from the European Commission 7th Framework Collaborative Project HERMIONE (contract number 226354) and Russian Foundation for Basic Research grant no. 09-04-01474a. A.J.G. received additional support from the European Commission 7th Framework Collaborative Project HERMIONE (contract number 226354) and the Oceans 2025 project of the UK Natural Environment Research Council.

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Copyright information

© Senckenberg, Gesellschaft für Naturforschung and Springer 2012

Authors and Affiliations

  • Olga Kamenskaya
    • 1
  • Andrew J. Gooday
    • 2
  • Teresa Radziejewska
    • 3
  • Brygida Wawrzyniak-Wydrowska
    • 3
  1. 1.P.P. Shirshov Institute of OceanologyRussian Academy of SciencesMoscowRussian Federation
  2. 2.National Oceanography CentreSouthamptonUK
  3. 3.Palaeoceanology Unit, Institute of Marine SciencesUniversity of SzczecinSzczecinPoland

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