Catalogue of modern smaller benthic foraminifera from offshore Brunei Darussalam

The present study provides a catalogue (presence / absence data) of modern smaller benthic foraminifera (SBF) with descriptions and illustrations from 17 sites offshore from Brunei Darussalam, located along the northern coast of Borneo Island. The study area is at the edge of the Coral Triangle diversity hotspot and a comprehensive study on modern benthic foraminifera has not yet been undertaken here. Such research is particularly important in Brunei as the Neogene sedimentary successions cropping out onshore have been deposited under similar conditions to the modern environment hence the modern taxa tend to be similar to those preserved in the stratigraphic record. This catalogue is therefore also intended as a valuable tool for stratigraphers working in the oil industry in the region. A clear taxonomy of the modern fauna would help in the systematics of fossil benthic foraminifera assemblages. The investigated sites include proximal reef settings (Pelong Rocks and Abana Reef), muddy to sandy seafloors near sunken wrecks (Oil Rig Wreck, Dolphin Wreck, American Wreck, Australian Wreck and Bluewater Wreck), and two depth transects located as far as possible from artificial or environmental disturbances in relatively muddy environments. The samples are between 8 to 63 metres water depth (mwd). A total of 207 species of SBF (87 of which are left in open nomenclature), belonging to 88 genera, have been identified, thus indicating a much higher number of taxa than previously documented in nearby regions