Species-specific environmental controls on shell traits of benthic foraminifera in the western Arctic Ocean [Dataset].

The Chukchi Sea in the western Arctic Ocean is characterized by the coexistence of Pacific- and Atlantic-derived water masses. In recent decades, variability in the inflow, distribution, and physicochemical properties of these water masses has been linked to pronounced environmental changes, including declining sea-ice extent and progressive ocean acidification. Such changes may influence the calcification of benthic foraminifera inhabiting this region. This dataset provides individual-level measurements of physical shell properties of benthic foraminifera collected from core-top samples on the continental slope of the Chukchi Sea across a range of water depths. We quantified shell maximum diameter (µm), projection area (µm²), height (µm), weight (µg), shell area density (µg/µm²), and volume density (µg/µm³) for the dominant species Nonionellina labradorica and Elphidium clavatum. In addition, shell wall thickness (µm) and bulk density (g/cm³) were measured using X-ray micro–computed tomography (µCT). These measurements enable quantitative assessment of interspecific variability and environmental influences on shell calcification in a rapidly changing Arctic marine system.