A Gram-negative, rod-shaped, moderately halophilic bacterium, designated strain YIM 91118(T), motile with a single polar flagellum, was isolated from Xinjiang province in north-west China and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. Strain YIM 91118(T) grew optimally at 37 degrees C, pH 7.0-8.0 and 10% NaCl (w/v). Its major cellular fatty acids were iso-C(15:0), iso-C(17:0), C(16:0) and iso-C(17:1)omega9c. The predominant lipoquinone was Q-8. The DNA G+C content was 63.2 mol%. All of these chemotaxonomic data supported the assignment of the new isolate to the genus Microbulbifer. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain YIM 91118(T) belongs to the genus Microbulbifer and it formed a distinct subclade with Microbulbifer maritimus KCCM 41774(T). The levels of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to the type strains of Microbulbifer species were in the range 93.5-95.0%. The mean level of DNA-DNA relatedness between strain YIM 91118(T) and M. maritimus KCCM 41774(T) was 45.8%. On the basis of phenotypic properties, phylogeny and genomic data, strain YIM 91118(T) represents a novel species of the genus Microbulbifer, for which the name Microbulbifer halophilus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM 91118(T) (=CCTCC AB 206094(T) =KCTC 12848(T)). Furthermore, it is necessary to emend the description of the genus Microbulbifer.