TAXONOMY OF QUATERNARY DEEP-SEA OSTRACODS FROM THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN

Abstract:  Late Quaternary sediments from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Hole 1055B, Carolina Slope, western North Atlantic (32°47.041' N, 76°17.179' W; 1798 m water depth) were examined for deep-sea ostracod taxonomy. A total of 13 933 specimens were picked from 207 samples and c . 120 species were identified. Among them, 87 species were included and illustrated in this paper. Twenty-eight new species are described. The new species are: Ambocythere sturgio , Argilloecia abba , Argilloecia caju , Argilloecia keigwini , Argilloecia robinwhatleyi , Aversovalva carolinensis , Bythoceratina willemvandenboldi , Bythocythere eugeneschornikovi , Chejudocythere tenuis , Cytheropteron aielloi , Cytheropteron demenocali , Cytheropteron didieae , Cytheropteron richarddinglei , Cytheropteron fugu , Cytheropteron guerneti , Cytheropteron richardbensoni , Eucytherura hazeli , Eucytherura mayressi , Eucytherura namericana , Eucytherura spinicorona , Posacythere hunti , Paracytherois bondi , Pedicythere atroposopetasi , Pedicythere kennettopetasi , Pedicythere klothopetasi , Pedicythere lachesisopetasi , Ruggieriella mcmanusi and Xestoleberis oppoae . Taxonomic revisions of several common species were made to reduce taxonomic uncertainty in the literature. This study provides a robust taxonomic baseline for application to palaeoceanographical reconstruction and biodiversity analyses in the deep and intermediate-depth environments of the North Atlantic Ocean.