The systematic position of the alkaliphilic and halotolerant strain Bacillus sp. FTU was refined in view of the comprehensive taxonomic revision of the group of alkaliphilic and alkalitolerant Bacillus strains. Sequence analysis of almost the entire 16S rRNA gene of Bacillus sp. FTU revealed 99.8% homology with two Bacillus pseudofirmus strains. Subsequent DNA-DNA hybridization analysis confirmed the close relationship of Bacillus sp. FTU with the type strain of B. pseudofirmus (the level of homology reached 86%). Results of physiological and biochemical characterizations relevant for the group clearly underlined the positioning of strain FTU within this species. It is therefore concluded that Bacillus sp. FTU represents a strain of the alkaliphilic species B. pseudofirmus and is to be renamed as B. pseudofirmus FTU. The phylogeny of different Bacillus species is discussed using N-terminal sequence homologies of some caa (3)-type oxidase subunits.