EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF MUSSEL LOCOMOTION IN THE PRESENCE OF FLOW

Abstract

For realistic screening of active antifouling compounds or coatings, new bioassay systems need to be capable of targeting multiple species. Mussels are a major group of macrofouling organism known for causing damage in marine structures through biofouling. They are abundant in tropical climate, quick to attach and commonly used in settlement assays. This study aims to reveal the kinematics of the voluntary movement of mussels on a surface which could help build on the current understanding of their locomotion and use in biofouling assays.