pteropod ooze Deep-sea ooze in which at least 30 per cent of the sediment consists of the shells of small planktonic (see plankton) gastropods (known as pteropods or ‘wing-footed’ snails). The shells are aragonitic and, as aragonite solubility increases rapidly with depth, pteropod ooze is restricted to water depths less than 2500 m.

pteropod ooze Deep-sea ooze in which at least 30% of the sediment consists of the shells of planktonic small gastropods (known as pteropods or ‘wing-footed’ snails). The shells are aragonitic and, as aragonite solubility increases rapidly with depth, pteropod ooze is restricted to water depths less than 2500 m.