Some taphonomic aspects of the benthic foraminifers from Tremiti Islands (Central Adriatic Sea).

Abstract - Post-mortem transport of foraminiferal tests in shallow-waters sediments is reported by several authors. To evidence these phenomena, data regarding some taphonomic aspects of the benthic foraminifers assemblages from Tremiti Islands are reported. The test preservation, represented by the percentage of fragmentation, indicates that high values correspond rather well with the coarse sands and fine gravels under bottom currents (SGCF) biocoenosis distribution. The occurrence of variable quantity of sub-recent fossils foraminifers in recent sediments is not dependent on the Cenozoic outcrops supply, but rather it can represent previous paeloenvironments, linked to the late Quaternary sea level variations. A dimensional statistical study on Elphidium crispum, by mean of Matrox Inspector 3.0 software, are reported from 117 tests random selected from three stations. Together with the textural characteristics of the sediments, the sorting degree of the tests in the TRE19 and 26 samples may testify that the wave-motion is more active on the northwestern windward side of the islands, touched by more recurrent storm surges. On the contrary, low sorting of E. crispum population in sediments from the southern side of the Archipelago (TRE9 sample), could be considered as autochthonous, indicating the lower hydro dynamism of this sector. Key-words: Tremiti Islands, foraminifers, taphonomy, sediments.