CONSEIL PERMANENT INTERNATIONAL P O U R LEXPLORATION D E LA MER

FORAMINIFERA
Zooplankton
Sheet 108

Families: Globigerinidae and

Globorotaliidae
(BY A.W. H. Bk)*

1967

* ) Lamont Geological Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades,

New York. Contr. No. 982. This study received support from National
Science Foundation, Grant GB-42 19.

-2PLANKTONIC FORAMINIFERA
There are about 30 described species of planktonic Foraminifera living in the world oceans. They occur primarily in the euphotic zone. The
few deep water-species probably spend their earlier stages in near-surface waters. Most of the species (22) are tropical-subtropical; five are coldtemperate or subpolar species. Three species are found in Antarctic waters and of these one is also present in the Arctic Ocean. The IndoPacific fauna except for its greater species diversity, is essentially similar to that of the Atlantic.
(1962). The presence or absence of spines is a major
The classification and key used here agrees in most respects with that of PARKER
criterion in distinguishing the two families. The morphological terms in this key have been defined in a publication by BOLLI,LOEBLICH,
(1957).
and TAPPAN

Order FO-RIDA
Family Globigerinidae CARPENTER,
PARKER
and JONES, 1862
Description (after PARKER,
1962): Test trochospiral in the adult or in ontogeny, streptospiral,or globular; chambers spherical, ovate or clavate;
wall calcareous, perforate, radial in structure, hispid, spinose when living either in the adult or in ontogeny ; primary aperture umbilical,
umbilical-extraumbilical,equatorial or spiroumbilical; may have secondary apertures; may have bullae with accessory infralaminal apertures.
I927
Family Globorotaliidae CUSHMAN,
1962): Coiling of test trochospiral; chambers angular to ovate or spherical; may have a keel; wall
Description (emended from that of PARKER,
calcareous, perforate, radial in structure, smooth, pitted; non-spinose when living both in the adult and in ontogeny; primary aperture extraumbilical-umbilical or umbilical ;no secondary apertures.

KEY TO GENERA
1. Trochospiral test (spines simple, if present). ............................................................................
2
1. Planispiral test with triradiate spines (gerontic stage streptospiral) ................................................
Hastigerina
3
2. Primary aperture (and, if present, secondary apertures). ..................................................................
2. Sutural apertures,smooth surface ...............................................................................
Cana'eina
3. Non-spinose tests ............................................................................
4-6 Family Globorotaliidae
7-10 Family Globigerinidae
3. Spinosetests ................................................................................
4. Test with spherical or hemispherical chambers, umbilical aperture and rounded periphery.
5
4. Test with angular to ovate chambers; spiral side flat or gently curved; peripheral keel may be present; aperture a narrow slit from umbilicus to periphery. .......................................................................................
Globorotalia
5. Trochospiralcoilingthroughoutlife...................................................................................
6
5. Streptospiral coiling in adult. ...............................................................................
Pulleniatina
6. Hemispherical chambers with umbilical aperture; coarsely pitted surface texture; umbilical tooth.. .................. Globoquadrina
6. Spherical chambers and umbilical aperture frequently covered by bulla with infralaminal apertures; smooth surface texture Globigerinita
7. Primary aperture only ...............................................................................................
8
9
7. Primary aperture and one or more secondary apertures.. .................................................................
8. Aperture umbilical, chambers spherical to ovate. ...............................................................
Globigerina
8. Aperture from umbilicus to periphery; trochospiral in ontogeny becoming nearly planispiral in adult. ................. Globigerinella
9. Multi-chamberedtest ................................................................................................
10
9. One-chambered spherical test (juvenile stage is multi-chambered with secondary apertures) ...............................
Orbulina
10. Cancellate, honeycomb-like surface. .......................................................................
Globigerinoides
10. Pitted to smooth, translucent texture; chamber flanges. ......................................................
Sphaeroidint.lla

...................................

-3PLANISPIRAL-Triradiate

-SPINOSE-

SpinFTransparent Test-nHastigerinacc

3
4
5
6
7

Globigerina digitata
Globigerina quinqueloba
Globigerina pachyderma
Globigerina humilis
Globigerina falconensis
Globigerina bulloides
Globigerina calida
Globigerinella aequilateralis
-Globigerinella adamsi

8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17

7 I
*Globigerinitacc

LSutural Apertures
Very Smooth Test

Globigerinita glutinata
Globigerinita bradyi

18
19

Globoquadrina dutertrei
Globoquadrina conglomerata
Globoquadrina hexagona
Pulleniatina obliquiloculata

20
21
22
23

Globorotalia truncatulinoides
Globorotalia crassaformis
Globorotalia hirsuta
Globorotalia scitula
Globorotalia menardii
-Globorotalia tumida

24
25
26
27
28
29
30

-Globorotalia inflata

-Globorotaliidae

Figures
i
2

Orbulina universa
Globigerinoides conglobatus
Globigerinoides ruber
Globigerinoides sacculifer
Sphaeroidinella dehiscens

-Globigerina rubescens

Globigerinidae

~ G lbigerinacc
o

TROCHOSPIRAL

Hastigerina pelagica
Hastigerinella digitata

-acandeinacc-Candeina

nitida

31

In the Key overleaf species marked ** are commonly found in the northeastern Atlantic between 40N and 65"N lat. and between 25OW long.
and Western Europe. Species marked * occur less commonly in this area.
Each species in the Key and in the diagram above is given a number and the same number is used in the figures, different views of the
name species being lettered a, b, c.
Unless otherwise marked all the bar scales (placed underneath the middle specimen) are 500 p.

References
BANNER,
F. T. and BLOW,W. H., 1960. Contr. Cushman Fdn
Foramin. Res., 11(1):1-41.
B%,A. W. H., 1959. Micropaleontology, 5( 1):77-100.
Bb, A. W. H., 1966. ))Distributionof planktonic Foraminifera
in the World Oceanscc. Abstracts of Papers, 2nd International Oceanographic Congress, Moscow 1966. p. 26.
BELYAEVA,
N. V., 1964. Trudy Inst. Okeanol., 68:12-83.
A. R., Jr. and TAPPAN,
H., 1957.
BOLLI,H. M., LOEBLICH,
Bull. U.S. Natn. Mu., 215:3-50.

BOLTOVSKOY,
E., 1964. Serv. Hidrogr. Naval, Argent., Publ.
H. 639: 1-54.
BRADSHAW,
J. S., 1959. Contr. Cushman Fdn Foramin. Res.,
lO(2) :25-64.
CIFELLI,R., 1965. Smithson. Misc. Collns, 148(4):1-35
(Publ. 4599).
PARKER,
F. L., 1962. Micropaleontology, 8(2):219-254.
SCHOTT,
W., 1935. Wiss. Ergebn. dt. atlant. Exped.
,Meteorcc, 3(3) :43-134.

Key to Species
Test

Species

*Hastigerina pdagica
(d'orbigny)
Hastigerineiia digitata
(mumbler)

*&bulina unimsa
d'Orhigny

Outline

Dominant
Coiling
Direction
(spiral
side)

Chambers

Smooth

Trochospiral
in juvenile;
spherical in
adult

spinose

> I mm

4 in juvenih

Spherical

Equatorial

Truadiatt
spines

Transparent test, triradiate spines

Subtropical, tropical

Bifurcate or
trifurcate in
adult

Equatorial
becoming
spiroumbilical

Triradiatc
spines

Transparent test, triradiate spines,

horn-like chambers

Subtropical, tropical
below 500 m depth

4-5 in juvenile; 1 in
adult

Spherical

Umbilical
in juvenile;
none in
adult

One (in
earlier

spinose

S i l e spherical chamber

Tropical, subtropical

u p to

- 1 mm

Trochospiral
nearly
spherical

Left+Right

Coarsely
spinow

- I mm

Globigerinoides ruber
d'orbigny

Trochospiral

Left+Right

Coarsely
spinw

-0.6 mm

Globigerinoides sacculifer
(Brady) [=Globigerinoiah trib6u.r (Reuss)]

Trochospiral
ovate

Left+Right

spinose,
honeycomb
texture

>Sphaeroidineila dehkctns
(Parker and Jones)u
a terminal form of
Gbbigerimides soccul~m
(Brady)

Trochospual
ovate

Left+Right

Secondar
apeper
chamber

Globigm'na rubercm
Hofker

Trochospiral

Left+Right

Spinose
Hiapid

Globigerina digirala Brady

Trochospiral

Left+Right

spinose
HLpid

**Globigarina quinqueloba
Natland

Trochospiral
compressed

kft+Right

Spinose;
smooth

'"Globigm'na pachyderma

rrochospiral
compact

Left Right

character9

Stages

dY)

5-6 in
juvenile;
4 in adult

Spherical
becoming
compreved

Umbilical

Two

Spinose

Two secondary apertures per

chamber; primary aperture over 3
chambers; round outline

Tropical, subtropical
aurface watua

5 in juvenile
3 in adult

Spherical

Umbilical

Two

spinose

P d to red pigment; two secondaq

apertures per chamber; primary
aperture over two chambers

Tropical, subtropical
surface waters

6 7 in

Spherical;
last chambel
often
elongate and
compruscd

Umbilical

One

spinose

Sac-like final chamber (if present) ;

one secondary and one primary
aperture per chamber; honeycomb
texture; primary aperture over
three chambers

Dominant species in
tropical surface water;
common also in subtropical regiom

4 in adult

Spherical
with
chamber
flanges

Umbilical
(obscured)

Spinose in
One
(concealed: juvenile;
nonspinw in
adult

Great wall thickening producing

smooth, glassy layer; chamber
flanges coalesce and obscure
apertures

Tropical, subtropical
below 500 m depth

-0.25mm

5 in juvenile
4 in adult

Spherical

Umbilical

spinose

Light orangepink pigment in test

Tropical, subtropical
surface waters

-0.65mm

4-5 in
iuvenile;
4-6 in adult

Spherical in
juvenile;
digitate in
adult

Umbilical
spiroumbilical in
adult

spinose

Digitate final chamber@)

Tropical, subtropical

5-6 in

Hemispherical to ovate
flaplike fina
chamber

Umbilical;
sometimes
modified
into infralaminal
apertures

spinose

Final &amber a lobed extension

over umbilicus, hut not always
present

Subarctic and subantarctic cold-temperate surface waters; left-coilii

population in colder
waten

Spherical
becoming
subquadrate

Umbilical
becoming
utra-umbilical;dktinct
lip

May be
present in
iuvenile;
absent in
adult

Subquadrate, coarse-crystaline
compact test; aperture is a narrow
slit with distinct lip

Left-coiling in sub-polar;
right-coiling in coldtemperate waters

1.3 mm

1.3 mm

juvenile;
4 in adult

coarse

Figs.

Primary
aperture
position

Gbbigm'm'ahconglo6ahrs (Brady)

(Ehrenberg)

Distribution

Shape

5mm

Smooth to
pitted

Diagnostic

Number
per
whorl

6 in adult
Planispiral
Streptospiral

spies

Maximum
length

Texture

Smooth

Planispiral

Apertures

0.27-

0.47mm

juvenile and
adult

5 in juvenile
4 in adult

10

rrochospiral

2ompressed
rochospiral
,ecoming
iearly
kmispiral

rrochospiral
,ecoming
treptospiral

Globoquadrina conglomraia
(Schwager)

Ghboquadrina hexagona
(Natland)

Pulhiatina obliquiloculata
(Parker and Jones)

Light mostly

xft+Right

kft+Rigbt

tight mostly

Keel is absent in all species listed on these two pages.

rrochospiral

*Globoquadrina dutertrci
(d'0:bigny) (= Ghbigcrina
cggcrr Rhumbler)

Rft+Right

Left+Right

Trochospiral

Trochospiral

Left+Right

Ghbigcrinita brad$
Wiesner [= Ghbigcrinita
uvula (Ebrenbeg)]

Globigcrinella adami
(Banner and Blow)

LeftfRight

Left+Right

Left+Right

Left+Right

Left+Right

Trochospiral
becoming
nearly
planispiral

Trochospira'
becoming
nearly
planispiral

* Globigcrinella aequilatcralir

(Bra49
[= Ghbigm'nella siphomfcra
(d'orbigny)]

Trochospiral

Trochospira

Trochospira

Globigcrina calida Parker

**Ghbigcrina klhi&s
d'Orbigny

Ghbigmha falconmrir
Blow

Trochospira
compressed

'itted in
uvenile;
zry smooth
n adult

Zoarse,
itted

Zoarse,
itted

202itted

Smooth
iinely hispid

Smooth
Enely hispic

Spinose
hispid

Spinose
hispid

Spinose
bispid

Spinose
hispid

Spinose
hispid

Spinose
smooth

1.48mm

0.9 mm

0.8 mm

0.8 mm

0.19mm

0.48mm

' 0.8 mm

0.58mm

0.86mm

0.68mm

-0.43mm

"0.21 mm

M in
uvenile;
I yZ in adult

Iemispher:al, later
verlapping
arlier
hamben

Cal

Iemispher-

Cal

5 in juvenile
i4 in adult

3emispher-

1 in adult

3emisphercal

Spherical

Spherical

Spherical
becoming
radially
:longate

Spherical

Spherical
becoming
elongate

Spherical

Spherical
to ovate

Hemispher.
ical to
ovate; flap
like final
chamber

5 in juvenile

50r6in
iuvenile;
+6 in adult

5 in juvenile
4 in adult

5 in juvenilt
4 in adult

5 in juvenilc
5-7 in adult

5 in juvenil<
5-6 in adult

5 in juvenili
4 6 in adull

5 in juvenili
4 in adult

5 in juvenil
4 in adult

5-6 in
juvenile;
6-8in aduli

Jmbilical
Iecoming
xtra
imbilical

Jmbilical
)ecom ing
'xtra umbiical with
00th

00th

Jmbilical
with
unbilical

00th

Umbilical
Nith
imbilical

Umbilical
sometimes
modified
nto infraaminal
spertures

Umbilical,
sometimes
modified
into infralaminal
apertures

Umbilical
becoming
interiomarginal
equatorial

Equatorial,
interiomarginal
arch

Umbilical
becoming
extra-umbilical

Umbilical

Umhilical
with lip

Umbilical;
sometimes
modified
into infralaminal
apertures

jpinose

jpinose

3pinose

Spinose

Spinose

Spinose

Ntreptospiral,right-coiling;
,ighlypolished test with
rescent-shaped aperture;
ivenile resembles Globoquadrina
utcrtrci

ion-spinose, pitted wall;

unbilical tooth; compressed test
vith apertural and spiral sides
lepressed

(on-spinose, pitted wall;

unbdical tooth; 4 chambers in last
vhorl of adult

'Ion-spinose, pitted wall;

unbilical tooth; predominantly
ight-coiling

3ulla and infralaminal apertures;

ligh spire and numerous chamben

Bulla and infralaminal apertures;

imooth test

Radially elongate, pointed final

:hamhers

Nearly planispiral test

Elongate final chambers, highly

arched aperture, intergrades with
Globigcrina Alloidcs and
Globigcrinella aequilatcralis

Large, high-arched aperture

Resembles Globigcrina bulloidcs

but has more elongate chambers,
low arched aperture with lip and
smaller test

Six to eight chambers per whorl

and bulla-lie final chamber

.ropical, subtropical;
.bundant in November in
ubtropical North Atlantic

rropical, subtropical in
'acific and Indian Oceans
lnly

rropical Pacific and

ndian Oceans only

rropical, subtropical

Subpolar and coldemperate

Subpolar to tropical

IdY

Subtropical, tropical in
[ndian and Pacific Oceans

hbtropical, tropical

Subtropical, tropical

Subpolar, cold-temperate

Cold-temperate and
iubtropical

Subtropical to subpolar

23

22

21

20

19

18

17

16

15

14

13

12

Smooth in
juvenile,
becoming
hispid
Smooth in
juvenile;
coarsely
hispid at
aperture bas
Smooth in
juvenile;
coarsely
crystallie
in adult

;eft+Right

Left mostly

Left mostly

Compressed
trochospiral
biconvex

Compressed
trochospiral
subcircular
outline

Compressed
trochospiral
elongate
oval outline

Globorotalia scitula
(Brady)

Globorotalia menardii
(d'orbigny)
[= Globmotalianrltrata
(d'orbigny)]

Spines are absent in all species listed on thii page.

tight mostly
Very smooth

Coarsely
hispid

tight mostly

Compressed
trochospiral;
biconvex or
apertural
side flat

Globorotalia hirnrta
(d'orbigny)

Smooth to
hispid

Left mostly

Trochospiral
planoconvex

Globorolalia crarsaformis
(Galloway and Wissler)
[= Globorotalia punchdata
(d'orbigny)]

Trochospiral

Smooth to
hispid

&+Right

Trochospiral
conical

*Globorotdia tnmcatulinoidcs
(d'orbigny)

Cdeina nitida
d'Orbigny

Smooth;
crystalline
at apertural
base

Left mostly

Trochospiral;
flat spiral
side; inflated
apertural
side

Texture

"Gbborotdia inj7ata
(d'orbigny)

Dominant
Coiling
Direction
(spiral
side)

Test

mm

0.66 mm

1.0 mm

1.4 mm

0.76 mm

1.5 mm

,.

- 0.65

.,0.9 mm

0.65 mm

Maximum
length

Inflated,
hemispherical

Shape

4 in juvenile
3 in adult

5-6 in adult

5-6 in adult

5 - 6 in
juvenile
and adult

4-5 in adult

5-6 in
iuvenile;
4-5 in adult

Spherical

Angular
rhomboid

Angular
rhomboid

And?
rhomboid

Angular
rhomboid

Angular
conical

5 in juvenile; Angular
5-6 in adult
conical

5 in juvenile;
I. in adult

Number
per
whorl

Chambers

Umbilical
but absent
in adult

Elongate
from
umbilicus to
periphery,
with lip

Elongate
from
umbilicus to
periphery,
with lip

Elongate
from
umbilicus to
periphery,
with lip

Elongate
from
umbilicus to
periphery,
with lip

Elongate
from
umbilicus to
periphery,
with lip

Elongate
from
umbilicus to
periphery,
with lip

Large;
umbilical to
extra
umbilical

Primary
aperture
position

ktural
ipertures

Secondar
apertures
per
chamber

Apertures

Key to Species

Welldeveloped
keel

keel

Welldeveloped

Absent or
obscure

Obscure i:
juvenile;
thin in
adult

Obscure,
thin keel

Wellieveloped
keel

Keel

Multiple sutural apertures between

all chambers; very smooth
globular test

Elongate oval outline and higher

spire than Cloborotalia menardii;
test often greatly thickened

Rounded, moderately lobulate

periphery; diffen from
Globmotalia tum'da in flatter and
subcircular, thinner test

More rounded periphery and

smoother test than Globorotalia
hirsuta

More lobulate periphery and fewer

chambers than Globorolalia
scitula; right-coiling mostly

Differs from Globmotaliainflata in

its slit-like aperture and angular
periphery; differs from GbborotlJia
hirsuta in its convex apertural side
and flat spiral side

conical test

Large aperture, rounded periphery;

left-coiling and smooth test

Diagnostic
Characters

Tropical, subtropical
surface waters

Tropical, subtropical

Tropical, subtropical

Subpolar to equatorial
especially below 500 m

Subtropical, especially in
winter

Subtropical, often below

300 m

Subtropical, especially
abundant between
December and March in
Sargasso Sea; distinct
provinces of left- andrightcoiling populations in
Atlantic and Pacific

Cold-temperate regions
between subpolar and
subtropical; in winter in
subtropics

Distribution

31

30

29

28

27

26

25

24

Ih

7a

7c

2so)l

9b

9a

@
Q

l25y

I2a

12b

13a

Il a

15a

1'7'a

I3c

I 5b

I5c

Ilb

I Ic

I le

I If

I2c

13b

Io c
\

9c

Ild

t6b

16a

17b

I7c

Unless otherwise marked, all the bar scales (placed underneath the middle specimen) are 500y.

18a

18b

I8c

2sop
~

19a

19 b

19c
Id

20a

20 b

20c

21c

250p
U

22a

22 b

22c

23 c

23a

24 a

26a

30a

26b

30 b

26c

28c

29a

29 b

29c

30c

3 la

31 b

31c

jades,
tional

NO. 25 - SIIb
DISTRIBUTION OF PLANKTONIC FORAMINIFERA
IN THE WORLD OCEANS
BB A l l a n W.H.
Lamont Geolopical Observatory
of Columbia University,
Palisades, New York, U S A

There are about 30 species of planktonic Foraminifera living in the

world oceans, and they can be grouped into three major distributional zones - a warm-water belt between approximately 40" N and 40" S Latitudes,
which divides the northern cold-water region from its southern counterpart.
The bipolar nature ol the species distributions is evident from the striking
similarity of the foraminiferal faunas in reciprocal latitudinal zones between
the northern and southern hemispheres.
The majority of the species (22) belong to the warm-water province.
Its faunal diversity suggests that here evolution proceeded more rapidly
than in the colder areas. The warm-water species can be grouped into (a)
the Equatorial or Tropical species (e. g.,. Globigerinoides sacculifer, Globorotalia menardii, Globoquadrina dutertrei, Pulleniatina o bliquiloculata, and
Globorotalia tumida), which are transported to mid-latitudes via the warm
currents (Gulf Stream, Kuroshio Currents, etc.) along the eastern margins
t
of the continents; and (b) the Central-water or Subtropical species (e. g.,
Globorotalia hirsuta, G. truncatulinoides and Hastigerina pelagica) which
occur in the central oligotrophic areas of the oceans. Some species (Glohigerinoides ruber, Globigerinella aequilateralis and Orbulina universa)
occur abundantly in both tropical as well as subtropical waters. The seasonal succession of these foraminiferal assemblages was documented in the
the Sargasso Sea off Bermuda from plankton tows collected biweekly between 1958 and 1962.
There are a t least three warm-water species that occur in the Indo-Pacific region, but which are no longer present in the Atlantic Ocean. They
are Globoquadrina hexagona, G. conglomerata and Globigerinella adamsi.
The former two species are known from Pleistocene deep-sea sediments, but
they have apparently disappeared since from the Atlantic.
The cold-water fauna can be divided into Subpolar species (Globigerina
quinqueloba, right-coiling G. pachyderma, G. bulloides sensu strict0 and
Globigerinita bradyi) and a single Polar species (left-coiling G. pachyderma). The bipolarity in the faunal zonations is clearly observed in the
distributional patterns of the coiling directions of G. pachyderma and
G. truncatulinoides in the North and South Atlantic.
The two transitional zones between the warm-water and cold-water fau, nas are characterized by the prolific occurrence of Globorotalia inflata. Its
distribution is generally limited to the middle latitudes, with the exception
of incursions equator-ward along the western margins of continents, where
upwelling takes place.
Planktonic Foraminifera apparently spend their earlier stages in the enphotic zone and later descend to deeper depths. Life a t great depths is accompanied by considerable shell thickening in most species which is estimated
to add about 5O0/o or more CaCOa by weight to the foraminiferal test (e. g.,
. Globorotalia menardii, G. truncatulinoides, Globigerinoides sacculifer d3.dehiscens))). Some species such as Globorotalia crassaformis, G. scitula,
and Hastigerinella digitata appear to be truly meso- or bathypelagic. The
spinose species are generally epipelagic, whereas the non-spinose ones exhibit a great range in depth habitats.
26

From:

Abstracts of Papers, Second Intern. Oceanogr. Congr.,

Publ. House "Nauka'l, Moscow, 1966.