(Table 1) Distribution of larger benthic and planktonic foraminifers in ODP Hole 135-841B

Larger foraminifers were recovered from three levels within Hole 841B, located on the Tongan Platform. The lowest faunas are from Eocene beds (Unit V) in fault contact with an older rhyolitic volcanic sequence. These Eocene faunas are typified by two assemblages: one with Amphistegina waiareka, Astewcyclina matanzensis, Discocyclina omphala, Operculina pacifica, together with rare Heterostegina saipanensis and Sherbornina carteri; the second assemblage contains these species and, in addition, Spiroclypeus vermicularis. The lowest assemblage is associated with a middle Eocene planktonic foraminifer fauna (Acarinina, Morozovella), and the upper faunas with a late Eocene assemblage. This Eocene unit is disconformably overlain by a middle Miocene sequence (Unit IV) containing assemblages dominated by planktonic foraminifers. Two samples were found to contain shallow-water benthic foraminifers: one contained Amphistegina radiata, Cycloclypeus sp., Lepidocyclina (Nephrolepidina) ?howchini, and Sphaerogypsina globula; a second sample from this section contained only Amphistegina radiata. The third level at which larger foraminifers were found was in the lower part of the late Miocene section (Unit III), where late Eocene larger foraminifers (Asterocyclina matanzensis, Discocyclina omphala, Nummulites pengaronensis, and Pellatispira madaraszi) are present in a conglomeratic sequence with late Miocene planktonic foraminifers present in the matrix.