An actinomycete, designated SA181(T), was isolated from Saharan soil in the Hoggar region (south Algeria) and was characterized taxonomically by using a polyphasic approach. The morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics of the isolate were consistent with the genus Saccharothrix, and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis confirmed that strain SA181(T) was a novel member of the genus Saccharothrix. DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain SA181(T) and its closest phylogenetic neighbours, the type strains of Saccharothrix longispora, Saccharothrix texasensis and Saccharothrix xinjiangensis, were clearly below the 70 % threshold. The genotypic and phenotypic data showed that the isolate represents a novel species of the genus Saccharothrix, for which the name Saccharothrix hoggarensis sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain SA181(T) ( = DSM 45457(T) = CCUG 60214(T)).