A Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, yellow-pigmented bacterium, strain LQY-7(T), was isolated from activated sludge treating synthetic pyrethroid-manufacturing wastewater. The taxonomic status of the strain was determined using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain LQY-7(T) was a member of the genus Flavobacterium but had low similarities with other species of this genus (95.0 % similarity with Flavobacterium indicum GPTSA100-9(T) and <94 % similarities with other Flavobacterium species). On the basis of phenotypic, genetic and phylogenetic data, strain LQY-7(T) should be classified as a representative of a novel species of the genus Flavobacterium, for which the name Flavobacterium haoranii sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is LQY-7(T) (=ACCC 05409(T) =KCTC 23008(T)).