摘要：Biofouling is a natural process of colonization of organisms on submerged surfaces, either living or artificial,by a wide range of microorganisms, plants, algae and animals. Biofilms on artificial structures create seriousproblems for industries worldwide, with effects such as increase in drag force and metal corrosion as well asreduction in heat transfer efficiency. For antifouling or preventing the attachment of fouling organisms, aknowledge of the microbial composition is of considerable importance. In the present study, biofouling sampleswere collected bimonthly from the boats docked at the Royapuram harbour, which is situated in northernChennai. Culturable marine bacteria were isolated on Zobell’s marine agar medium and identified bybiochemical methods. The bacteria most frequently isolated were Bacillus spp., Vibrio spp., Pseudomonasspp., Micrococcus luteus, Proteus mirabilis and Shigella spp. The macrofouling community is dominated bybarnacles, Mytilus spp.; green mussel, Perna viridis; polychaetes and other tubeworms. An analysis revealedthat most of the marine bacteria are of anthropogenic origin. The stone crab Menippe mercenaria is reportedas a macrofouler for the first time.
