SPECIES AND BIOTYPE IDENTIFICATION OF SERRATIA STRAINS ASSOCIATED WITH INSECTS

Forty-eight Serratia strains associated with insects were, identified to species level and biotyped according to recent taxonomic schemes. Each strain was submitted to 36 biochemical tests, including 23 carbon source utilization tests. Twenty-eight strains were assigned to eight biotypes of Serratia marcescens: A1a, A2a, and A6a (pigmented biotypes: 18 strains); and A3a, A3b, A4a, A5, and TCT (nonpigmented biotypes: 10 strains). However, biotypes A8a, A8b, and A8c, which are frequently involved in nosocomial infections, were not found in insects. Ninetten strains were identified as S. liquefaciens (S. proteamaculans) biotypes C1a (12 strains), C1c (4 strains), C1d (2 strains), and one atypical S. liquefaciens strain. Only one strain was identified as S. marinorubra (a nonchitinolytic species). The recent emergence of Serratia in human pathology calls for a reevaluation of the idea of using Serratia to biologically control insects. © 1979 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.