Celià, Laura

Mateu-Vicens, Guillem

Biblioteca Digital de les Illes Balears

Presence of Technitella legumen Norman, 1878 
(Foraminifera, Saccaminidae) in Posidonia 
oceanica meadows sediments of Mallorca 
(Balearic Islands, Western Mediterranean) 
Guillem MATEU-VICENS and Laura CELIA 
SHNB 
SOCIETAT O'HISTORIA 
NATURAL DE LES BALEARS 
Mateu-Vicens, G. and Celia, L. 2003. Presence of Technitella legumen Norman, 
1878 (Foraminifera, Saccaminidae) in Posidonia oceanica meadows sediments of 
Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Westem Mediterranean). Bol!. Soco Hist. Nat. Balears, 
46: 131-134. ISSN 0212-260X. Palma de Mallorca. 
Technitella legumen Norman, 1878 is an agglutinated foraminifera lhat shows a 
world wide distribution. During the study of microfaunistical biodiverstiy in Posi-
donia oceanica it has been found in this sea-grass meadows of Calvia (Mallorca) 
in samples taken at 4 meters depth. It is a typical cold deep waters foraminifera. It 
has been also reported in several places over lhe Westem Mediterranean between 
75-500 meters depth. In this paper the first record of Technitella legumen in 
modem sediments in the Balearic Sea is reported. 
Keywords: agglutinated foraminifera, Technitella legumen. 
PRESENCIA DE Technitella legumen NORMAN, 1878 (FORAMINIFERA, SAC-
CAMINIDAE) ALS SEDIMENTS DE LA PRADERIA DE Posidonia oceanica 
DE MALLORCA (ILLES BALEARS, MEDITERRÁNIA OCCIDENTAL). 
Durant l'estudi de la biodiversitat microfaunística de la pradera de Posidonia oce-
anica del litoral de Calvia (Mallorca), s'han trobat a les mostres de rizoma extretes 
a 4 m de profunditat, diversos exemplars del foraminífer Technitella legumen Nor-
man, 1878. Aquest foraminífer, de distribució mundial i típic d'aigües pregones i 
fredes, ha estat trobat en diverses localitats de la Mediterrania occidental, sempre a 
profunditats compreses entre els 75 i 500 m. Es presenta la primera cita de Techni-
tella legumen per a les aigües de les Illes Balears. 
Paraules clau: foraminífers aglutinats, Technitella legumen. 
Guillem MATEU-VICENS, Laboratori de Micropaleontologia, Departament de 
Ciencies de la Terra (UlB), Ctra Valldemossa km 7,5. 07071, Palma de Mallorca; 
Museu Balear de Ciencies Naturals, Ctra Palma-Port de Sóller, km 30. 07100, 
Sóller. Laura CELIA, Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avan9ats (CSIC-UlB). Ctra 
Valldemossa km 7,5. 07071, Palma de Mallorca; Museu Balear de Ciencies Natu-
rals, Ctra Palma-Port de Sóller, km 30. 07100, Sóller. 
Recepció del manuscrit: 1-desembre-03; revisió acceptada: 30-desembre-03. 
132 Boll. Soco Bist. Nat. Balears, 46 (2003) 
Introduction 
Foraminifera are marine protozoa containing 
a test which is normally calcareous but occasio-
nally silicious. Four main groups are distinguis-
hable depending on their formation: porcelane-
ous, hyaline, perforated and agglutinated. 
Agglutinated foraminifera are considered the 
most primitive; records have been found dating 
back to the Cambrian periodo The test is formed 
by the uniting oí various exogenous particles in 
an organic cement produced by the foraminifera. 
Chamber arrangement is variable. Uni, bi and tri-
serial dispositions are found. 
Technitella legumen Norman, 1878 is a 
monochamber agglutinated forarninifera. 
Material 
Six Technitella legumen individuals, from 
Santa Pon<;:a and Cala Fomells sea-grasses, have 
been studied. The foraminifera extracted from 
the rizome samples are displayed in the Univer-
sity of Balearic Islands (DIB) Micropaleontology 
lab collection. 
Fig. 1. Location of lhe sampling stations. 
Fig. 1. Localitats on s'ha efectuat el mostratge. 
Methods 
Samples from two locations in the Calvia lit-
toral (Santa Pon<;:a and Cala Fomells) have been 
studied (Fig. 1). Two scuba divers picked ten 
Posidonia oceanica bunches each two months in 
one year from both locations. Leaves were detta-
ched from rhizomes and submerged in destilled 
water to obtain all of the epiphytic forarninifera 
presento Samples were then sifted (125, 250 and 
500 microns) and stained with Rose Bengal. The 
foraminifera were subsequently picked and clas-
sified using a stereomicroscope. 
Description 
Family Saccaminidae Brady, 1884 
Subfamily Saccamininae Brady, 1884 
Genus Technitella Norman, 1878 
Type species: Technitella legumen Norman, 
1878; SD Cushman, 1910, p.47. 
Technitella Norman, 1878, p.279, 281. 
Hyperamminella de Folin, 1881, p.140 (nom. 
nud.); de Folin, 1887, p.1l4 (nom. nud.; non 
Hyperaminella Cushman and Waters, 1928). 
Artechnitum Rhumbler, 1913, p.350 (err. 
emend.) 
Description: Test (a single chamber) free, 
elongate, oval, fusiform or cylindric, up to 3 mm 
in length (the species reported in this paper is lar-
ger); thin wall of agglutinated longitudinally 
aligned sponge spicules and sorne quartz grains 
embedded in a hyaline organic matter; aperture 
terminal rounded, may be slightly produced on a 
neck or have a thickened border. 
Genotype: Technitella legumen Norman. 
Technitella legumen Norman, 1878, Ann. 
Mag. Nat. Hist., ser.5, vol.I, p.279, p1.16, fig. 3, 
4; Brady, 1884, p.246, pl.25, fig.8-10; Goes, 
1894, p.14, pI.3, fig.20-27; Cushman, 1918, p.59, 
pI.9, fig.1, 2; p1.10, fig. 1; pI. 16, fig. 8; pI. 24, fig. 
3-5 (?); pI. 26, fig. 5. 
Description: Test elongate, ovoid to cucum-
ber form; test opalescent white, outside consis-
C. Mareu-Vicens and L. Celia. Presellce of Teclll1irella /egumen in rhe Ba/earic Islands 133 
Fig. 2. Technilel/a legnlllen Nonnan. 1878. 
ting 01' fine longitudinall y pl aced sponge need les: 
one end closed; rounded, ending in a pointed 
group of needles; rounded aperture whieh may 
contain several lips and elongated dents also for-
med 01' sponge need les. On section the sponge 
spicules are arranged obliquely, tile-wise. w ith 
spicules poinls direcled backward s, inner layer 
consisl ' 01' fine spicules arranged lransversely 
(C i mennan & Langer, 199 1) (Figs. 2. 3 and 4). 
Ecology and distribution 
Thi s species appeared during lhe Oligocene 
and currentl y res ides in modern seas exhibiting 
wide cli stribution (Loebl ich & Tappan, 1988). 
The species has been reponed in the onh and 
South A tl anti c, Pac ifi c, An tarcti c. Europe, South 
America ancl Australi a. 
Hofker ( 1972) suggesls lhal lhe genus Tech-
Ilirella appearecl as a consequence 01' lhe evolu -
lion 01' lhe genus HippocrepinellC/. The incorpo-
ralion 01' sponge spicules might be a fU rlher step 
in the level 01' clevelopment 01' agg lulinat ion. Thi s 
characteri sti e is lhe main clifference belween 
both genera. 
Techllirella /egulllell exhibilS a more vari able 
life cyc le when eompared lO olher Foramin i fera . 
In add ilion lO mu lliple fi ss ion. several other 
fonns 01' asexual reproduction inc lucling budcling 
have been cleseribed (Golclslein , S. T. in Sen 
Gupla. S.K, 2002). 
Hofker ( 1972) reports lhe spec ies presence al 
Fig. 3. Microphotography (SEM ) of Techllilel/a legu-
1I/e11 . DCla il of lhc apertural tongucs. 
Fig. 3. MicroJolOgrajia (SEM) de Tcchni lella legumen. 
0 1'/(/1/ de /'oberlllra. 
Fig. 4. Micropholography (SEM ) of Teehllilel/a legu-
lIIen. DClai 1 of lhe wa ll les\. 
Fig. 4. MicroJolOgrqfia (SEM) de Tcchnilella legulllen. 
Delal/ de la parel de la c!osea. 
100 m deplh, in Kallegal (Sl. 69, Pelersen), in lhe 
North Al lantic. lhe exact localion where Héiglu nd 
fi gurecl ancl described lhe species in 1947. 
Olher species such as T erinC/ceus, Tille/o 
have been found in samples of Frederikslecl, W 
01' Sl. Cro ix (Caribbean Sea). 
Primili ve agg lutinaled Foraminifera are oft en 
found in shallow waters and relali vely cold envi-
ronments. Nevertheless, lhese species are found 
al greater deplhes in lropi ca l and subtropieal 
seas. Temperalure lhen. may playa more impor-
lan l ro le in their distri bulion lhan depth. 
Colom ( 1964) deseribed lhe occurrence of 
134 Boll. Soc. Hist. Nat. Balears, 46 (2003) 
several primitive agglutinated species at depths 
of 350-520 m in the Balearic sea. Technitella 
legumen nor any other species of the same genus 
were mentioned. The individual s found in these 
assemblages were smaller than individuals found 
in the North Atlantic and in the Caribbean Sea 
and sorne species occured more frequently (Hof-
ker, 1972). 
Although the species presence has been 
reported in Burdigalian outcrops in Mallorca 
Colom (1946), this is the first finding of the spe-
cies in very shallow waters (4-10 m) and modern 
sediments from the Balearic Sea Posidonia oce-
anica sea grasses. 
Lacroix also found this species in relatively 
shallow water in the Mediterranean. He reported 
large test size, as in this papero 
Sgarrella and Moncharmont Zei (1993) 
found this foraminifera in the Gulf of Naples 
(Mediterranean Sea). It is arare species, only 
described in 89-155m, 92-165m, 229-320m and 
555m depth samples. 
Technitella legumen is an uncornmon species 
occuring in the Mediterranean being mostly 
reported from the Sea of Crete, between 100-
200m (Blanc-Vernet, 1969). 
Nevertheless, Technitella legumen and a few 
other unilocular agglutinated foraminifera are 
cornmon species in relatively cold deep waters in 
disoxic environments (0,1-1.0 mi 02/1). Alve 
(1994) found the genus Technitella in Frierjord 
(Norway) in the Oxygen Minimum Zone (OZM) 
in the superficial sediments down to 786 and 
998m (Bernhard and Sen Gupta, 2002). 
Acknowledgements 
This research is included in the project La 
Biodiversitat microfaunística com indicador 
ambiental de la pradera de Posidonia oceanica: 
estudi sistematic i ecologic deIs Foraminífers 
bentonics del litoral de Calvia, financed with a 
Biodiversity grant from Sa Nostra and from 
Ajuntament de Calvia. 
Dr Guillem Mateu Mateu and Bea Rodríguez 
have worked in this study. 
We would also thank Nicole Owusua Caesar 
and Neus Lorente for their English translations, 
and Dr Ferran Hierro for his help in the SEM 
photographs. 
References 
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Presència de Technitella legumen Norman, 1878 (Foraminifera, Saccaminidae) als sediments de les praderies de Posidonia oceanica de Mallorca (llles Balears, Meditem'mia occidental)

Presència de Technitella legumen Norman, 1878 (Foraminifera, Saccaminidae) als sediments de les praderies de Posidonia oceanica de Mallorca (llles Balears, Meditem'mia occidental)

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