A rod-shaped bacterium, designated CL-TF13T, was isolated from a tidal flat in Ganghwa, Korea. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed an affiliation with the genus Tenacibaculum. The sequence similarities between CL-TF13T and type strains of members of the genus Tenacibaculum were from 94.2 to 97.4%. Cells were motile by means of gliding. Strain CL-TF13T grew on solid medium as pale-yellow colonies with an irregular spreading edge. The strain was able to grow in NaCl at a range of 3-5%. They grew within a temperature range of 5-40 degrees C and at pH range of 6-10. The major fatty acids were summed feature 3 (C(16:1)omega7c and/or iso-C(15:0) 2-OH, 19.6%), iso-C(15:0) (18.8%) and iso-C(17:0) 3-OH (13.6%). Fatty acids such as C(18:3)omega6c (6,9,12) (1.5%) and summed feature 4 (iso I- and/or anteiso B-C(17:1), 1.3%) were uniquely found in minor quantities in CL-TF13T among Tenacibaculum species. The DNA G + C content was 30 mol%. According to physiological data, fatty-acid composition and 16S rRNA gene sequence, CL-TF13T could be assigned to the genus Tenacibaculum but distinguished from the recognized species of the genus. Therefore, strain CL-TF13T (= KCCM 42115T = JCM 13039T) represents a novel species, for which the name Tenacibaculum litoreum sp. nov. is proposed.