Aerophytic Cyanobacteria in Historic Monuments - Salvador BA BR

Cyanobacteria are a group of microorganisms found in almost every habitat. Aerophytic cyanobacteria are able to survive in terrestrial environments such as artificial surfaces and have the ability to deteriorate structures damaging historical and artistic heritage. Thus data on these microorganisms is extremely important; however their availability is already scarce in natural environments and considering urban environments and historic sites this knowledge is practically nonexistent. This study aimed to identify and characterize aerophytic cyanobacteria found in three historic buildings in the city of Salvador BA Brazil. Fragments of external cladding which presented visual changes were collected for culture. After biomass growth four strains were selected for analysis by light scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Four filamentous taxa and one cocoid were described distributed in two orders three families and three genera with new descriptions both for the Bahian aerophytic environment (Chroococcus) and the Brazilian aerophytic environment (Pseudanabaena).