Neogloboquadrina pachyderma is the dominant planktonic foraminifera species in the polar regions. In the northern high-latitude ocean, it makes up more than 90 % of the total assemblages, making it the dominant pelagic calcifier and carrier of paleoceanographic proxies.

The planktic foraminifera Neogloboquadrina pachyderma is a calcifying marine protist and the dominant planktic foraminifera species in the polar oceans, making it a key species in marine polar ecosystems.

Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (sinistral; Nps) is a species of planktonic foraminifera that dominates assemblages in the polar oceans.

Type images: holotype: A. pachyderma. Distinguishing features: Parent taxon (Neogloboquadrina): Cancellate wall; umbilical-extraumbilical aperture:This taxon: Test low trochospiral, quadrate (4 to 4½ chambers in the final whorl) umbilicus narrow, deep; Predominantly sinistral coiling.

Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (dextral) is a good indicator for surface water densities above about 25.5 kg/m3. Dextral coiling N. pachyderma fill in a gap best seen in the plots of relative abundance vs. sea surface temperature and surface water salinity of sinistral variants of N. pachyderma.