A novel coccoid, halotolerant actinobacterium, designated strain YIM 70085(T), was isolated from a soil sample that was collected in Xinjiang Province, China, and characterized by using a polyphasic approach. Optimum growth temperature was 28 degrees C and growth occurred optimally in culture media that contained 10 % KCl. The peptidoglycan type was A4alpha, L-lys-gly-L-Glu. Whole-cell sugars consisted of xylose, mannose and galactose. Phospholipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, one unknown phospholipid, one unknown glycolipid and traces of phosphatidylinositol. Menaquinones were MK-8 (83 %), MK-7 (12 %) and MK-9 (15 %). Predominant fatty acids were i-C(15 : 0) (44.29 %), ai-C(15 : 0) (35.60 %) and ai-C(17 : 0) (9.74 %). The DNA G+C content was 53.5 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain YIM 70085(T) occupies a branch that is distinct from, although very close to, the family Micrococcaceae in the suborder Micrococcineae. Based on its phenotypic characteristics, phylogenetic position (as determined by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis) and 16S rDNA signature nucleotide data, it is concluded that the isolate represents a novel member of the suborder Micrococcineae, for which the name Yania halotolerans gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM 70085(T) (=CCTCC AA001023(T)=DSM 15476(T)).