Distribution of Living Planktonic Foraminifera in the Coastal Upwelling Region of Kenya, Africa

Abstract

Seventeen planktonic foraminiferal species have been encountered in the plankton samples collected off the Kenya coast; the most abundant species are Globigerinella aequilateralis, Globigerinoides ruber, G. sacculifer, Pulleniatina obliquiloculata, Globorotalia tumida and Neogloboquadrina dutertrei and rare species being Globigerina quinqueloba and Hastigerina pelagica. The fauna has a close similarity with that of the Gulf Stream in north Atlantic besides showing affinities with foraminiferal assemblages met with in waters near the equator. The faunal characteristics as related to hydrology and the role of some ecological parameters like temperature and salinity have been delineated.The evidence obtained from statistical analysis of the data of most sensitive species proves that temperature is the most important of the two factors in controlling distribution patterns of planktonic Foraminifera.