Cellular morphological trait dataset for extant coccolithophores from the Atlantic Ocean

The Cellular morphological trait dataset for extant coccolithophores from the Atlantic Ocean is a reference dataset for morphological traits from extant coccolithophores (calcifying marine plankton group), including cell-specific data for coccosphere and cell size, coccolith size, number of coccoliths per cell, and morphometric-based cellular calcite estimates. The dataset also includes ancillary information about the sample and taxonomic identification.

The dataset contains observations from 1074 individual coccolithophore cells representing 61 species from 25 genera. Samples were obtained during the Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) 14 cruise that sailed between the Faulkland Islands and the UK in 2004. Measurements were taken from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, which are archived on Zenodo at doi: 10.5281/zenodo.10571819. A description of the parameters included in the dataset can be found in the file "2. Descriptor- Cellular morphological trait dataset for extant coccolithophores from the Atlantic Ocean".

Three additional supporting files are included with this dataset:

"3. Coccolith size, coccolith calcite and cellular calcite in collapsed Umbellosphaera coccospheres" contains measurements of coccolith size (CL) and associated coccolith calcite (PIC) for 20 collapsed Umbellosphaera coccospheres. This data was used to derive an adjustment to coccolith length applied to coccolith length measured on intact Umbellosphaera coccosphere measurements to account for the wide variety of coccolith sizes present on individual coccospheres.

"4. Sensitivity of cellular calcite contents to uncertainties in coccolith size, number of coccoliths per cell and shape factors" contains re-calculations of cellular calcite data using uncertainties of ±5-30% on coccolith size (CL) and species-specific shape factor (Ks) and variations of ±2 coccoliths and ±5 coccoliths for the number of coccoliths per cell (CN) for coccospheres of Gephyrocapsa mullerae, Umbilicosphaera hulburtiana, Syracosphaera spp., and Discosphaera tubifera.

"5. Partial coccolith length and coccolith length measurements" contains measurements used to calculate the uncertainty in coccolith length introduced when partial coccolith length is measured.

Extensive description of the methodology related to this dataset can be found in the associated manuscript: Rosie M. Sheward, Alex J. Poulton, Jeremy R. Young, Joost de Vries, Fanny M. Monteiro, Jens O. Herrle. “Cellular morphological trait dataset for extant coccolithophores from the Atlantic Ocean” in review with Scientific Data.

Correspondence should be directed to:

Rosie M. Sheward, [e-mail]