pteropod ooze

marine deposit

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July 13, 2026

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Pteropod ooze is a type of pelagic sediment found on the deep-sea floor. It is characterized by at least 30 percent skeletal remains of microscopic floating organisms, specifically the shells of pelagic mollusks known as pteropods. Pteropods are small marine gastropods with wing-like foot structures used for swimming near the sea surface.12

This ooze forms in areas far from land, where the deposition of these shells is not overshadowed by terrestrial sediments. Pteropod ooze is a calcareous ooze, meaning its composition is primarily calcium carbonate. It is found mainly in the mid-Atlantic Ocean.1

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ooze
…shells of planktonic foraminifera, and pteropod ooze, made up chiefly of the shells of pelagic mollusks. The siliceous oozes include radiolarian ooze, comprising essentially brown clay with more than 30 percent of the skeletons of warm-water protozoa, and diatom ooze, containing the frustules (tiny shells) of diatoms. The siliceous oozes…
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…shells of planktonic foraminifera, and pteropod ooze, made up chiefly of the shells of pelagic mollusks. The siliceous oozes include radiolarian ooze, comprising essentially brown clay with more than 30 percent of the skeletons of warm-water protozoa, and diatom ooze, containing the frustules (tiny shells) of diatoms. The siliceous oozes…
Read More