Discorbidae spp.

Umbilical and dorsal view Collected: S Barents Sea, from intertidal filamentous algae Bengal Rose stained	.
Umbilical and dorsal view Collected: S Barents Sea, intertidal	.
Umbilical and dorsal view Collected: Aug. 2000, White Sea, intertidal	.
Umbilical and dorsal view Collected: Aug. 2000, White Sea, intertidal	.

Remarks:

These forms are littoral in the Barents and White seas. We have never seen them in samples from the open sea (still it is possible that in routine counts such specimens have been mistaken for Buccella). They may be boreal taxa penetrating the European Arctic within the intertidal zone where, due to summer sun warming, the temperature can be high enough to allow their reproduction. An example of such a boreal species is Elphidium williamsoni, which inhabits the intertidal muds the White and southern Barents seas not occurring below the low tide line. Could these be something Ammonia-like? Note, that Ammonia has never been recorded that far north. Suggestions are welcome. These SEM images were taken by M.Holzmann, Universite de Geneve, Switzerland