Recent studies on living polycystine radiolarians show that certain members of this group are either endemic or, at least, dominant to specific water masses. Other polycystine species, with wider distributions than the aforementioned species, illustrate subspecific morphologic changes that can be correlated with specific geographical regions. Entire faunal assemblages show distinct patterns, many of which may be correlated with such oceanographic features as convergence, divergences, current systems, eddies, polynoclines, and depths.

Because polycystine radiolarians with both long and short geologic ranges are abundant in the fossil record, this study provides a promising new avenue for making paleoceanographic interpretations.

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