Abstract:

Morphological abnormalities of recent and fossil benthic foraminiferal tests may be caused by environmental stress resulting from anthropogenic pollution and/or natural effects. In the present paper we document and describe morphological abnormalities of Ammonia tepida and some additional foraminiferal species from Holocene sedimentary successions of the Aegean Sea (Alykes Kitros and Vravron Attica). The abnormality types are manifested largely by siamese twins, whereas distorted chamber arrangement, overdeveloped or protruding chambers and the presence of multiple apertures have also been observed. Our observations on the distribution of abnormal tests in comparison to the characters of the accompanying fauna suggest that malformation was caused mainly by rapid and intense salinity fluctuations. 

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