A PREDATORY FORAMINIFER, FLORESINA-AMPHIPHAGA, N-SP, FROM THE FLORIDAKEYS

Specimens of a new species of the trochospiral genus Floresina Revets, 1990, were collected from depths of 10-30 m at Conch Reef in the Flor ida Reef Tract, USA, This small foraminifer is predatory on Amphistegi na gibbosa, It attacks its much larger prey by climbing upon the A. gi bbosa's test, drilling as many as 10 holes per attachment site and ext racting cytoplasm from several chambers, Prey is killed in 3-7 days or longer, though individuals occasionally survive and fend off the pred ator, Asexual reproduction by microspheric adults is commonly cytotomo us; 5-20 macrospheric young form, presumably by multiple fission, in a terminal brood chamber. That chamber is weakly calcified and is aband oned after reproduction.