A yellow-pigmented, Gram-negative and aerobic bacterial strain, designated AT1026(T), was isolated from a terrestrial sample from the Antarctic. Results of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that the Antarctic isolate belonged to the genus Flavobacterium, with the highest sequence similarity to Flavobacterium tegetincola (96.4 %). Cells were non-motile, non-gliding and psychrotolerant, with optimum and maximum temperatures of about 20 and 25 degrees C. Flexirubins were absent. The major isoprenoid quinone (MK-6), predominant cellular fatty acids (iso-C(15 : 1) G, iso-C(15 : 0) and a mixture of C(16 : 1)omega7c and/or iso-C(15 : 0) 2-OH) and DNA G+C content (38 mol%) of the Antarctic isolate were consistent with those of the genus Flavobacterium. In contrast, several phenotypic characters can be used to differentiate this isolate from other flavobacteria. The polyphasic data presented in this study indicated that this isolate should be classified as a novel species in the genus Flavobacterium. The name Flavobacterium antarcticum sp. nov. is therefore proposed for the Antarctic isolate; the type strain is AT1026(T) (=IMSNU 14042(T)=KCTC 12222(T)=JCM 12383(T)).