Isolation of endophytes from seagrasses from Bermuda (Thalassia testudinum, Halodule bermudensis, Syringodium filiforme)

Endophytes were isolated for the first time, to the author's knowledge, from seagrasses from Bermuda. The seagrasses Thalassia testudinum K onig, Halodule bermudensis den Hartog, and Syringodium filiforme Kutzing were collected from Bermuda at selected intervals between May 1996 and August 1997 and investigated for the presence of endophytes. Leaves were surface sterilized, cut into segments, and placed on 2% malt extract agar plates. Endophytic isolates included 11 species of fungi and one bacterium. There were statistically significant differences ({dollar}alphaleq{dollar} 0.05) between fungal endophyte assemblages of the three seagrass species, of seagrasses collected from the four sites in Bermuda, and of seagrasses collected from the winter, spring, and summer seasons.