Benthic foraminifera diversity of the abyssal Northwest Atlantic

Foraminiferal assemblage data was collected from thirty-two samples of seven cores of 0 cm down to 30 cm from the abyssal Northwest Atlantic. The investigated material was collected with a multicorer (MUC) at six stations with water depths ranging from 2508 m to 3685 m during the expedition SO286 of RV Sonne in November–December 2021. The stations were situated in abyssal plains of the Labrador Sea, the Labrador Basin, southwest of the Azores and at the base of a seamount southwest of the Azores. The MUC tube had a diameter of 10 cm. The samples were washed over a 125 µm sieve and dried. Per sample 150 benthic foraminiferal specimens were counted on species level. 124 were documented with illustrations. The purpose of the study was to document foraminiferal faunas of the Abyssal Northwest Atlantic and investigate heterogenity in abyssal plains.