Sessile foraminifera from mobile substrates: Hidden organisms and big mistakes – The essential is invisible to the eyes

Abstract

Two case studies conducted on the inner continental shelf off southeastern Brazil revealed an unexpectedly high abundance and diversity of foraminifera attached to or encrusted in sediment grains. Samples were stained with Rose Bengal, fixed in formalin, and subjected to trichloroethylene flotation to isolate free foraminifera. Following screening, the residual fraction was rigorously examined, uncovering numerous attached individuals and robust agglutinate forms that incorporate sediment grains into their tests. This fauna includes little-known genera rarely documented in unconsolidated mobile substrates. Comparisons between floated and residual fractions revealed notable discrepancies, emphasizing the underestimation of sessile and robust forms when residual fractions are overlooked. Neglecting these forms can compromise environmental and paleoenvironmental interpretations, as rarefaction curves illustrate, particularly in high-hydrodynamic regions typically seen as challenging environments for fauna. This study underscores the importance of including sessile foraminifera in biodiversity assessments in dynamic marine areas. We propose a new zone, the “high-hydrodynamic inner coastal shelf,” for Murray's (1973) ternary diagram. Additionally, our findings indicate that inadequate screening methods may leave significant gaps in taxonomic records. Many attached foraminifera remain “invisible to the eye” of researchers, often due to their shape, a lack of prior knowledge, or insufficient attention, resulting in underestimations of their density and richness. Consequently, these organisms are often overlooked in environmental characterizations, taxonomic records, and especially in paleoecological studies and monitoring efforts.