Foraminiferal fauna and biotopes of a barrier estuary system : St Georges Basin, New South Wales, Australia

Abstract

A 66-sample study of estuarine foraminifera within St Georges Basin identified 30 species from three biotopes that are divided almost equally in diversity between calcareous and agglutinated forms. The latter, however, are twice as abundant as the former, and the species Amnwhaculites exiguus, Portatrochammina sorosa, Rhumblerella subconica, and Ammonia aoteana represent 78% of the fauna. The main driver of biotope distribution is water depth or factors related to it. Faunal composition and biotope distribution are similar to those found in other estuaries in the region, suggesting the possibility of a "standard fauna" for Australian estuaries with limited connections to the open ocean.14 page(s