Late Quaternary deep-sea ostracod taxonomy of the eastern North Atlantic Ocean

Abstract. Taxonomic revision and re-evaluation of the eastern North Atlantic deep-sea ostracods are conducted based on late Quaternary sediments from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Hole 982A, Rockall Plateau, eastern North Atlantic. Twenty-one genera and 51 species were examined and (re-)illustrated with high-resolution scanning electron microscopy images. Six new species are described: Polycope lunaris, Argilloecia labri, Bythoceratina nuda, Cytheropteron colesoabyssorum, Cytheropteron colesopunctatum and Cytheropteron paramediotumidum. Excellent fossil ostracod preservation in this sediment core enabled us to provide a robust taxonomic baseline of the eastern North Atlantic deep-sea ostracods for application to palaeoceanographical, palaeoecological and biogeographical studies.