Chromotypes of Globigerinoides ruber in surface sediments from the north-western coast of the Bay of Bengal

Globigerinoides ruber is a common planktonic foraminifera often used in palaeoceanographic studies. There exist two chromotypes of the species (pink and white). At present, the white chromotype is cosmopolitan in distribution, while the pink chromotype is geographically restricted to the Atlantic Ocean and its adjacent seas (locally extinct from the Indo-Pacific region since 0.12 million years ago). We have documented for the first time the presence of the pink chromotype of G. ruber from the north-western Bay of Bengal (Rushikulya, Orissa coast of India) and we emphasize the occurrence of both the chromotypes of G. ruber in this part of the Indian Ocean.