Fifteen bacterial isolates were enumerated from the six seaweeds collected along the coast of Thondi in Palk Bay, India. Among the 15 isolates, 6 bacteria (Bacillus licheniformis, B. subtilis, B.pumilus, B. marinus, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptomyces coelicolar) were Gram’s +ve and 4 bacteria (Pseudomonas fluorescens, Actinopolyspora sp., Vibrio mimicus and Serratia marscesens) were Gram’s –ve. The species of Bacillus were dominant among 10 bacteria isolated. Bacillus subtilis ASbs 05 and Staphylococcus aureus ASsa 06 were isolated from the red seaweed Acanthophora spicifera whereas from Hypnea valentiae 3 bacteria such as Pseudomonas flourescens HVpf 03, Actinopolypora sp. HVa 04 and Bacillus licheniformis HVbl 02 were isolated. The latter was also found in Gracilaria edulis GEbl 01 which was the only bacterium isolated from this alga. Of the 9 isolates of bacteria found in green seaweeds, Bacillus subtilis was isolated from Enteromorpha intestinalis EIbs 08 and Ulva lactuca ULbs 12 which was also found in red seaweed Acanthophora spicifera ASbs 05. Other two bacteria of 3 isolated from E. intestinalis were Bacillus pumilus EIbp 09 which was also found in E. flexuosa EFbp 10 whereas Streptomyces coelicolar EIsc 07 was exclusively found in E. intestinalis. Of the 2 bacteria isolated from E. flexuosa, Vibrio mimicus EFvm 11 was also found in Ulva lactuca ULvm 13. Among the 4 bacteria isolated from Ulva lactuca, the other two bacteria were Serratia marscesens ULsm 14 and Bacillus marinus ULbm 15 which were exclusively reported in this alga.

Seaweeds, endobiotics, bacteria, Tamil Nadu, Palk Bay