We present here oxygen and carbon isotopic records of Eocene to Oligocene benthic foraminifera from two Bay of Biscay Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) sites (119 and 401). d18O of benthic foraminifera increases 1.9 per mil from a middle Eocene minimum (Zones P10-P11) to an earliest Oligocene maximum (Zone NP21). Approximately 1.4 per mil of the increase in benthic foraminiferal d18O occurs during the late Eocene to earliest Oligocene (Zones P15/16-NP21). Previous results from other North Atlantic DSDP sites (400A and 398) have significantly lower d18O values of benthic foraminifera, some by as much as 2 per mil (Vergnaud-Grazzini et al., 1978; 1989, doi:10.2973/dsdp.proc.48.119.1979; Vergnaud-Grazzini, 1979, doi:10.2973/dsdp.proc.47-2.117.1979 ). We believe that these differences result from diagenetic alteration of the sediments in the deeper-buried Sites 400A and 398.

Nannoplankton zonations for Site 119 after Perch-Nielson (1972, doi:10.2973/dsdp.proc.12.115.1972) and M.-P. Aubry, personal communication. Foraminiferal zonations for Site 119 after Berggren (1972, doi:10.2973/dsdp.proc.12.114.1972) and K.G.Miller work in preparation and for Site 401 after Krasheninnikov (1979, doi:10.2973/dsdp.proc.48.117.1979). Discrepancies in ages resulting from differences between zonal age and interpolated ages obtained by assuming constant sedimentation rate.

Supplement to: Miller, Kenneth G; Curry, William B (1982): Eocene to Oligocene benthic foraminiferal isotopic record in the Bay of Biscay. Nature, 296(5855), 347-350