Name: Serratia marinorubra ZoBell and Upham 1944 (Approved Lists 1980)

Category: Species

Proposed as: sp. nov.

Etymology: ma.ri.no.ru’bra. L. masc. adj. marinus, of the sea, marine; L. adj. ruber -bra -brum, red; N.L. fem. adj. marinorubra, intended to mean a marine red organism

Pronunciation (Latin), gender: ser-RA-ti-a ma-ri-no-RU-bra, feminine

Type strain: ATCC 27593; CCUG 10981; CCUG 9286; CIP 103234; DSM 4480; JCM 1240; LMG 5019; NBRC 103169; NCTC 12971

See detailed strain information at

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: AJ233436 Analyse FASTA

Effective publication: Zobell CE, Upham HC. A list of marine bacteria including descriptions of sixty new species. Bulletin Scripps Institution of Oceanography University of California (Technical Series) 1944; 5:239-292.

IJSEM list: Skerman VBD, McGowan V, Sneath PHA. Approved lists of bacterial names. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1980; 30:225-420.

Nomenclatural status: validly published under the ICNP, illegitimate name

Taxonomic status: synonym (and not recommended for medical use)

Correct name: Serratia rubidaea (Stapp 1940) Ewing et al. 1973 (Approved Lists 1980)

Risk group: 2

• Synonyms:

  • Name	Kind
    Serratia rubidaea (Stapp 1940) Ewing et al. 1973 (Approved Lists 1980)	homotypic synonym, validly published under the ICNP
    "Bacterium rubidaeum" Stapp 1940	homotypic synonym, not validly published, basonym of name in Approved Lists

• Notes:
  • 😷 The risk group for Canada has been imported on 2024-02-27. The full classification is: risk group = 2, note = "Animal classification RG: 1 - Security sensitive biological agent: No - Terrestrial animal pathogen under Canadian Food Inspection Agency authority: No - Containment level: Containment Level 2". — The risk group for Swiss Confederation has been imported on 2024-02-01. The full classification is: risk group = 2, note = "PI". — The risk group for Germany has been imported on 2023-10-29. The full classification is: risk group = 2, note = "n". — If in doubt, use the risk group given in the regulations for your country and, if these are not available, use the risk group given in the catalogue of the culture collection from which you have obtained or intend to obtain the strain.
  • 🎓 Name mentioned 12 times in PubMed until 2026-06-11.
  • 🙅 This name is on the List of Recommended Names for bacteria of medical importance (LoRN) as a synonym of the name to be applied to this species. The name is on LoRN because of the recorded risk group of the species itself.
  • 🧍 However, according to Brenner [1] and according to Grimont and Grimont [2], the type strain of Serratia marinorubra is ATCC 27614 not ATCC 27593 as incorrectly shown on the Approved Lists because of an error by the Enterobacteriaceae Subcommittee. To avoid further confusion, the name Serratia rubidaea (Stapp 1940) Ewing et al. 1973 (Approved Lists 1980) should now be used to designate the same (Serratia rubidaea-Serratia marinorubra) taxon [2]. Publication: Grimont PAD, Grimont F. Genus VIII. Serratia Bizio 1823, 288AL. In: Krieg NR, Holt JG (eds), Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, first edition, vol. 1, The Williams & Wilkins Co., Baltimore, 1984, p. 477-484. 🇺🇸
  • 🧍 Later homotypic synonym of Serratia rubidaea (Stapp 1940) Ewing et al. 1973 (Approved Lists 1980). Serratia marinorubra ZoBell and Upham 1944 (Approved Lists 1980) and Serratia rubidaea (Stapp 1940) Ewing et al. 1973 (Approved Lists 1980) have the same type strain and therefore are homotypic synonyms [Rules 24a and 24b (1)]. Publication: Brenner DJ. Family I. Enterobacteriaceae Rahn 1937, Nom. fam. cons. Opin. 15, Jud. Comm. 1958, 73; Ewing, Farmer, and Brenner 1980, 674; Judicial Commission 1981, 104. In: Krieg NR, Holt JG (eds), Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, first edition, vol. 1, The Williams & Wilkins Co., Baltimore, 1984, p. 408-420. 🇺🇸

Parent taxon: Serratia Bizio 1823 (Approved Lists 1980)

Assigned by: Zobell CE, Upham HC. A list of marine bacteria including descriptions of sixty new species. Bulletin Scripps Institution of Oceanography University of California (Technical Series) 1944; 5:239-292.

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Record number: 780879