A taxonomic study of a novel marine, heterotrophic, non-gliding, halotolerant and light-pink-pigmented bacterium was carried out using a polyphasic approach. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain KMM 6241(T) is a member of the phylum Bacteroidetes. Strain KMM 6241(T) formed a cluster with the genera Algoriphagus, Chimaereicella and Hongiella with sequence similarities of 94.0-98.2 %. Hongiella ornithinivorans was the closest relative of the novel isolate. Comparative analysis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic characteristics of strain KMM 6241(T) and representatives of the genera Algoriphagus, Chimaereicella and Hongiella revealed many similar features. Consequently, phylogenetic evidence supported by phenotypic and genotypic similarities support the transfer of members of the genera Chimaereicella and Hongiella to the genus Algoriphagus and the establishment of a novel species, Algoriphagus vanfongensis sp. nov., with strain KMM 6241(T) (=DSM 17529(T)=KCTC 12716(T)) as the type strain.