anonymous 16352 Menthol-DCMU bleaching experiments on two foraminifera species, Amphistegina lobifera and Sorites orbiculus Schmidt, Christiane; Puerto Rueda, Diana N; Nusser, Moritz; Oakley, Clinton A; Pochon, Xavier; Stuhr, Marleen; Raposo, Débora; Davy, Simon K (2025): Menthol-DCMU bleaching experiments on two foraminifera species, Amphistegina lobifera and Sorites orbiculus [dataset bundled publication]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.974618 This dataset documents experiments conducted on two foraminifera species, Amphistegina lobifera and Sorites orbiculus. Samples of Sorites orbiculus were collected from Eilat, Israel, and Amphistegina lobifera from the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily. Experiments were conducted from October to December 2019 at University of Victoria, Wellington in New Zealand. The aim of these experiments was to establish a rapid bleaching methodology to produce aposymbiotic hosts without compromising survivorship. Three independent experiments were carried out. The Menthol Concentration Comparison (MCC) experiment tested menthol concentrations (0.05 - 0.25 mmol L⁻¹) to determine an effective non-lethal dose for both species. The Bleaching Ecophysiology Assessment (BEA) used a single concentration (0.19 mmol L⁻¹) to evaluate growth, motility, and mortality with larger sample sizes. The 33-day High Concentration Trial (HCT) assessed motility under higher menthol concentrations at incremental steps (0.35, 0.4, 0.45, 0.50, 0.55, and 0.6 mmol L⁻¹). Data were collected using epifluorescence microscopy, growth assessments, survivorship assessments using photographs and pseudopodial movement, and motility analysis. The results provide a robust methodology for rapidly rearing aposymbiotic foraminifera, ensuring methodological reproducibility and minimizing lethality. 16360 https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.974618 2025-03-18T17:06:07+0000 2025 19904 19870 21505 14657 19854 19846 21506 21507 21508 21509 21510 21511 21512 14181 21513 21514 21515 21520 21521 21516 21523 21522