Abstract
Serratia rubidaea (Stapp), a rarely isolated bacterial species, was found in coconuts from the Ivory Coast. These were examined biochemically and their numerical taxonomy established. Phenons were characterized by the presence or absence of pigment, the production of ornithine decarboxylase and by the VogesProskauer test. Their correlation with antibiotic and antiseptic susceptibilities were of interest. The origin of the contamination of coconuts could be similar to that of Ficus carica by Serratia ficaria, i.e. by insect contamination during pollination.
