Distribución de foraminíferos planctónicos en sedimentos superficiales del Golfo de California

Abstract

A study of planktonic foraminifera from 47 surface sediment samples from the Gulf of California yielded distributional data of 48 species and subspecies. Globigerina pachyderma incompta, G. bulloides and Globigerinita glutinata constitute the most abundant and widely distributed taxa. Distinctly different faunal assemblages are thought to reflect predominant surface water masses in the gulf and, in turn, differences in temperature and salinity.

In addition, distributional patterns of some species appear to mark upwelling zones and oceanic fronts, as well as areas influenced by Eastern Equatorial Pacific Ocean water. In general terms, this study demonstrates that the Gulf of California contains eurythermal planktonic foraminiferal assemblages.