Recent benthic foraminifera from the Caribbean continental slope and shelf off west of Colombia

•Distribution of southwestern Caribbean Recent benthic foraminifera.•Benthic foraminifera collected along the middle and outer continental shelf between 39 and 2469 m.•A high diversity assemblage of agglutinated foraminifera dominates the lower slope with percentage up to 96% of the total benthic foraminiferal content.

A quantitative benthic foraminiferal analysis was conducted on 30 sea-floor sediment samples distributed along the continental slope and shelf in Fuerte Area (Colombian Caribbean), between 39 and 2469 m water depth.The aims of the research were to provide data on the distribution of southwestern Caribbean Recent benthic foraminifera, to estimate changes in the foraminiferal distribution related to the bathymetry and the characteristics of the substrate, to define a data-bank on distribution of recent tropical benthic foraminifera from the southwestern Caribbean, to provide reference on foraminiferal distribution that can be used in bathymetric reconstructions of ancient environments.Three different assemblages corresponding to three different environments were identified by cluster analysis. Assemblage A, characterized by variable percentages of porcellaneous, hyaline and agglutinated benthic foraminifera indicative of shelf environments. Assemblage B, dominated by calcareous hyaline foraminifera mainly composed of infaunal foraminifera corresponding to upper bathyal, marine conditions. Assemblage C, composed by agglutinated and calcareous hyaline foraminifera characteristic of normal deep-water marine environments.