Repartición de los Foraminíferos bentónicos recientes en la marisma Victoria (Noja, Cantabria)

Abstract

Recent benthic Foraminifera from superficial sediments of the Victoria marsh (Noja, N. Spain) have been studied. A total of 45 species have been identified, 15 of which were alive during the sampling. Lobatula lobatula is the most abundant species of the assemblages. Secondary species, richness and diversity, as well as the preservation of carapaces allow us to define three areas in the marsh: littoral lagoon, dunes area and mouth of the beach. The occurrence of living specimens of L. lobatula in the inner lagoon evidences that the marine water reaches that part of the marsh, even the filling of the ria and the anticontamination barrier displayed due to the «disaster of the Prestige». The occurrence of estuarine species as Ammonia tepida, Cribroelphidium williamsoni, Haynesina germanica and Trochammina inflata testifies that, though scarce, benthic foraminifers are present in the marsh. The best preserved transitional environment in this area is that of the dunes, where the foraminifers characterise the vegetated marsh and high estuary environments. In the mouth of the beach, the foraminifer assemblage is that of the littoral milieu, with an increase of the porcellaneous tests and specially, of the species Quinqueloculina seminula