Morphological deformities in benthic foraminiferal assemblages from shallow marine and lagoonal environments of the western Arabian Gulf

Abstract

Abstract This study examines larger and smaller benthic foraminiferal assemblages at six localities from western Arabian Gulf, documenting their diversity, abundance, and morphological deformities across a salinity gradient. Both unstained and stained samples were used to quantify species diversity, percent of deformities, and bulk quantity at each site. These samples revealed that 109 species were present and approximately one-quarter of specimens were alive during the sampling period. We observed different morphological deformities with various degrees of severity and an increasing overall percentage of deformities across a salinity gradient from 40 to 68.5 PSU (averaging >40%). Environmental analysis of marine sediment revealed no dangerous levels of anthropogenic stressors, such as trace metals or organic pollutants. Therefore, morphological deformities in the benthic foraminifera are likely salinity-induced (owing to a salinity gradient or seasonal change), as deformities are primarily observed in the adult specimens.