Large shallow-marine foraminifera tests occur in deep-sea carbonate sediments of the northern Red Sea as a minor but recurring component among the remains of otherwise pelagic and deep-marine benthic biogenic assemblages. In this study of sediments recovered along the northern shore of Saudi Arabia, the symbiont-bearing taxa Sorites variabilis, S. orbiculus, Amphisorus hemprichii, Amphistegina lobifera, A. lessonii and A. radiata were identified in samples from between 430 to 1,000 m depth. These foraminifera are dwelling in shallow-water environments, associated with coral reefs and seagrass habitats. The seemingly erratic occurrence of photosymbiotic benthic organisms in deep-sea sediments was explained by the finding of such foraminifera tests along with seagrass (e.g., Halophila leaves) and macroalgae remains in pristine preservational states in the sediment of the Umluj brine pool below ~638 m depth. This indicates a passive transport process by rafting attached to floating macrophytes to these off-platform settings. The abundant seagrass and oceanographic conditions along the Arabian Peninsula may facilitate the transport of epiphytes and associated taxa offshore. Such long-distance transport mechanisms could further contribute to the rapid (co-)dispersal of some of these organisms into new habitats. Passive rafting should thus be considered in interpretation of sedimentary records and biogeographic patterns.
Stuhr M., Westphal H., Marchese F., Mateu Vicens G., Giovenzana F., Lüdmann T., Vahrenkamp V. and Taviani M. (2025) Seagrass-rafted large benthic foraminifera transported into the deep Red Sea. Scientific Reports 15: 5724. 10.1038/s41598-025-90047-7
@article{Stuhr2025,
Title = {Seagrass-rafted large benthic foraminifera transported into the deep Red Sea},
Author = {Stuhr, Marleen and Westphal, Hildegard and Marchese, Fabio and Mateu Vicens, Guillem and Giovenzana, Francesca and Lüdmann, Thomas and Vahrenkamp, Volker and Taviani, Marco},
Editor = {},
Journal = {Scientific Reports},
Year = {2025},
Pages = {5724},
Volume = {15},
Doi = {10.1038/s41598-025-90047-7},
Abstract = {Large shallow-marine foraminifera tests occur in deep-sea carbonate sediments of the northern Red Sea as a minor but recurring component among the remains of otherwise pelagic and deep-marine benthic biogenic assemblages. In this study of sediments recovered along the northern shore of Saudi Arabia, the symbiont-bearing taxa Sorites variabilis, S. orbiculus, Amphisorus hemprichii, Amphistegina lobifera, A. lessonii and A. radiata were identified in samples from between 430 to 1,000 m depth. These foraminifera are dwelling in shallow-water environments, associated with coral reefs and seagrass habitats. The seemingly erratic occurrence of photosymbiotic benthic organisms in deep-sea sediments was explained by the finding of such foraminifera tests along with seagrass (e.g., Halophila leaves) and macroalgae remains in pristine preservational states in the sediment of the Umluj brine pool below ~638 m depth. This indicates a passive transport process by rafting attached to floating macrophytes to these off-platform settings. The abundant seagrass and oceanographic conditions along the Arabian Peninsula may facilitate the transport of epiphytes and associated taxa offshore. Such long-distance transport mechanisms could further contribute to the rapid (co-)dispersal of some of these organisms into new habitats. Passive rafting should thus be considered in interpretation of sedimentary records and biogeographic patterns.},
}
TY - JOUR
AU - Stuhr, Marleen
AU - Westphal, Hildegard
AU - Marchese, Fabio
AU - Mateu Vicens, Guillem
AU - Giovenzana, Francesca
AU - Lüdmann, Thomas
AU - Vahrenkamp, Volker
AU - Taviani, Marco
TI - Seagrass-rafted large benthic foraminifera transported into the deep Red Sea
T2 - Scientific Reports
PY - 2025
SP - 5724
VL - 15
DO - 10.1038/s41598-025-90047-7
AB - Large shallow-marine foraminifera tests occur in deep-sea carbonate sediments of the northern Red Sea as a minor but recurring component among the remains of otherwise pelagic and deep-marine benthic biogenic assemblages. In this study of sediments recovered along the northern shore of Saudi Arabia, the symbiont-bearing taxa Sorites variabilis, S. orbiculus, Amphisorus hemprichii, Amphistegina lobifera, A. lessonii and A. radiata were identified in samples from between 430 to 1,000 m depth. These foraminifera are dwelling in shallow-water environments, associated with coral reefs and seagrass habitats. The seemingly erratic occurrence of photosymbiotic benthic organisms in deep-sea sediments was explained by the finding of such foraminifera tests along with seagrass (e.g., Halophila leaves) and macroalgae remains in pristine preservational states in the sediment of the Umluj brine pool below ~638 m depth. This indicates a passive transport process by rafting attached to floating macrophytes to these off-platform settings. The abundant seagrass and oceanographic conditions along the Arabian Peninsula may facilitate the transport of epiphytes and associated taxa offshore. Such long-distance transport mechanisms could further contribute to the rapid (co-)dispersal of some of these organisms into new habitats. Passive rafting should thus be considered in interpretation of sedimentary records and biogeographic patterns.
ER -
