The Avatiu and Avarua sand-covered channels within the fringing reef of north Rarotonga, Cook Islands, contain foraminiferal assemblages considered to be predominantly derived from the adjacent reef platform. Benthonic species which display a depth restriction include <i>Melonis affinis, Cassidulina delicata, Clavulina pacifica</i> and <i>Bolivina alata.</i> Small (less than 200 <i>μ</i>m), rare planktonic species, including <i>Globigerina bulloides,</i> are recovered from sediments as shallow as 8 m, but an increase in species diversity and abundance is noted at 30 m in Avarua channel and 48 m in Avatiu channel.<br/><br/>No clear depth, substrate nor symbiont-associated restriction of species is evident, and this may result from mixing of primary microfaunal assemblages by sediment transport in this exposed part of the island.