Although benthic foraminifera are one of the most abundant, diverse and ubiquitous animal groups in Recent and fossil deep-sea deposits, they remain one of the least well known and understood groups of the microbenthos. There is a vast literature dealing with the description and stratigraphy of benthic foraminiferal taxa. Indeed the very extent of this literature has proved a mixed blessing. Lack of coordination in the interpretation of species has too often resulted in identical forms being catalogued under different names. The attendant difficulties in comparing species lists recorded by different authors and consequent problems in using Foraminifera in stratigraphy, paleoecology, paleoclimatology and related sciences led Boltovskoy (1965) to view the situation with such alarm that he foresaw the « Twilight of Foraminiferology » (see Preface).

However, the results of studies at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the Stratigraphic Services Laboratory of Shell Oil Company in Houston, and those of colleagues elsewhere (e.g., Douglas and Woodruff, 1981) lead us to a more optimistic assessment of the taxonomic status and stratigraphic potential of deep-water benthic foraminifera. Detailed biostratigraphic studies of sequential assemblages of deep-water benthics coupled with thorough studies of type material build upon the large and very important taxonomic base developed primarily by Joseph A. Cushman and his collaborators in the period between 1925-1950. We believe this will eventually lead to the utilization of benthic foraminifera in biostratigraphic studies in the way that planktonic foraminifera have been used since the late 1950's. We do not mean to imply that benthic foraminifera will supplant, or have the same importance as planktonic foraminifera in deep-sea biostratigraphy. Rather we believe that they will become a useful adjunct - together with other microfossil groups - in stratigraphic studies.

Many, if not most, deep-water benthic foraminiferal taxa appear to have relatively long stratigraphic ranges. Indeed, the purpose of the lengthy and somewhat unorthodox preface to this volume is to draw attention to the fact that for over 30 years there have been two schools of thought regarding the usefulness of benthic foraminifera in stratigraphic studies. However, as morphometric studies on this group are relatively new, we may expect considerable refinement in taxonomy from this line of investigation in the near future. On the other hand, morphologic-taxonomic-stratigraphic studies (Douglas, 1973; Douglas and Woodruff, 1981; Tjalsma and Lohmann, 1983) already have revealed that there are numerous benthic taxa with discrete taxonomic ranges, as well as overlapping range combinations, and that there are intervals of major taxonomic turnover in deep-sea faunas - all of distinct utility to the biostratigrapher.

This volume is the result of a five year program coordinated by W. A. Berggren of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and sponsored by a consortium of oil companies. It is a study of the taxonomy, biostratigraphy and paleobathymetry of 126 predominately Cenozoic benthic foraminiferal taxa. The work is based upon the stratigraphic range chart of cosmopolitan Tertiary bathyal benthic foraminifera prepared by Frank van Morkhoven, formerly Senior Staff Micropaleontologist for Shell Oil Company, and published in 1981 with the blessing of Ted Cook, Manager of Shell's Stratigraphic Services Laboratory. Anne Edwards compiled the text from original sources and numerous works in the literature of micropaleontology and prepared the manuscript for publication.

The taxonomic work was primarily the responsibility of W. A. Berggren, who studied paleontological collections at the British Museum of Natural History in London , the Sedgwick Museum in Cambridge , Museum of Natural History , Vienna , and the Paleontological Institute of Munich. He and K.G. Miller also made several trips to the United States National Museum of Natural History in Washington , D.C. , where examination of type collections provided invaluable taxonomic information. These studies of original material clearly showed how often identical species are present in various collections under quite different names. This lack of continuity in species concept has significantly hindered communication through the medium of scientific literature and ultimately eroded the effective utilization of benthic foraminifera in biostratigraphy and paleoenvironmental analysis.

Reference:

Van Morkhoven, Frank P.C.M. Cenozoic cosmopolitan deep-water benthic foraminifera / edited by Henri J. Oertli. Elf Aquitaine , 1986. 421 p.