Assessing the diversity of benthic foraminifera in coral reefs: a global perspective

Utilizing a comprehensive dataset of species records from the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic regions, this work explores the diversity, distribution, and paleoenvironmental significance of benthic foraminifera across different coral reef ecosystems. Overall, 1,054 species of benthic foraminifera from coral ecosystems are recognized in this compilation, belonging to 371 genera, 123 families, and 13 orders. Although symbiont-bearing taxa such as Amphistegina , Heterostegina , and Calcarina are typical of reef environments, the dataset is dominated by small heterotrophic species. This compilation identifies several cosmopolitan taxa, including three opportunistic species ( Ammonia beccarii , Ammonia tepida , Elphidium advena ), with five symbiont-bearing ( Amphisorus hemprichii , Borelis pulchra , Borelis schlumbergeri , Heterostegina depressa , Peneroplis pertusus ) and 38 small heterotrophic species. European and American assemblages recorded the highest species diversity, with 391 and 356 species, respectively. The highest β-diversity was observed between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans (β = 0.83), followed by the Atlantic and Indian oceans (β = 0.81), whereas the Indian and Pacific oceans shared more species, with a lower β-diversity (β = 0.56). The findings highlight significant species turnover across continents and ocean basins, indicating high foraminiferal diversity and the influence of regional environmental gradients on assemblage composition in coral reef settings.