A Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, motile by means of single polar flagellum, rod-shaped marine bacterium, designated strain E414, was isolated from sea water collected from a farming pond rearing marine shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, PRC. The strain was able to grow in the presence of 0.5-6% (w/v) NaCl (optimally in 3-6% (w/v) NaCl), between pH 6 and 9 (optimally at pH 7-8), between 15 and 37°C (optimally at 25-30°C). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences locate strain E414 in the vicinity of the coralliilyticus clade within the genus Vibrio. DNA-DNA relatedness data and multigene phylogenetic analysis based on the concatenated sequences of four genes (16S rRNA, rpoA, recA and pyrH) clearly differentiated strain E414 from its closest phylogenetic neighbours. Analysis of phenotypic features, including enzyme activities and utilization and fermentation of various carbon sources, further revealed discrimination between strain E414 and phylogenetically related Vibrio species. The major fatty acid components are C(16:1)ω6c and/or C(16:1)ω7c (27.4%), C(18:1)ω7c and/or C(18:1)ω6c (19.3%) and C(16:0) (18.2%). The DNA G+C content of strain E414 was 38.7 mol%. Based on phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, phylogenetic and DNA-DNA relatedness values, it can be concluded that E414 should be placed in the genus Vibrio as representing a novel species, for which the name Vibrio zhanjiangensis sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain E414 (=CCTCC AB 2011110(T) = NBRC 108723(T) = DSM 24901).