Biological Effects Assessment of Antibiofouling EDCs: Gaeta Harbor (South Italy) Benthic Communities' Analysis by Biodiversity Indices and Quantitative gpx4 Expression.

The most representative organisms of the Harbor of Gaeta Gulf in South Italy were analyzed for biofouling by visual census and confirmed later by molecular approach on an artificial Conatex panel dipped 3 m into a eutrophic area during the Covid-19 pandemic. Mitochondrial Cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1(COI) gene was sequenced from 20 different marine species (flora: 2 families, 2 orders; fauna: 16 families, 11 orders) to test whether the morphology-based assignment of the most common biofouling member was supported by DNA-based species identification. Twelve months of submersion resulted in generation of sufficient data to obtain a facies climax represented mainly by the bivalve mollusk, .