Alien foraminifers of the northern and northeastern coastlines of Cyprus Island

Abstract

The study area covers the northern coasts of Cyprus from the Güzelyurt Gulf to the Gazimağusa Gulf. This study was carried out in order to reveal the presence of the alien foraminifera, which are widely distributed in the Eastern Mediterranean particularly Amphistegina lobifera in the study area, and the effects of trace elements on faunal assemblages (foraminifera, ostracod and mollusc). The bottom sediment samples were taken from eighteen different points and depths, the faunal assemblages were examined, and the sediment distribution map of the studied area was made by ICP-MS analysis and geochemical evaluations. 30 genera and 48 species of foraminifera have been identified, of which 9 species belonging to 6 genera are the alien foraminifera. These are: Spiroloculina angulosa, S. antillarum, Hauerina diversa, Coscinospira hemprichii, Peneroplis pertusus, P. planatus, Amphisorus hemprichii, Sorites orbiculus and Amphistegina lobifera. Amphistegina lobifera was observed to be abnormally abundant in most of the samples. This foraminiferal assemblage of Red Sea origin constitutes a poor assemblage compared to the alien assemblages in Turkish Mediterranean coastal areas. It has been determined that the ostracod and mollusc genera and species found in the same samples belong to the typical Mediterranean and Aegean Sea community.

Keywords

• benthic foraminifera
• mollusc
• ostracod
• icp-ms analysis
• geochemistry
• cyprus.