A Gram-positive, spore-forming and moderately halophilic bacterium, strain BH139(T), was isolated from saline sediment of Xinjiang Province, China. Cells of strain BH139(T) were motile, flagellated rods. The organism grew optimally at 30-35 degrees C in the presence 12-14 % (w/v) NaCl. The major fatty acids were branched saturated fatty acids such as iso-C(16 : 0), anteiso-C(15 : 0), iso-C(15 : 0), iso-C(14 : 0) and anteiso-C(17 : 0). The G + C content of the genomic DNA was about 43 mol% and the predominant isoprenoid quinone was MK-7. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses showed that strain BH139(T) was most closely related to Lentibacillus salicampi KCCM 41560(T) (96.9 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) and formed a distinct phyletic line from that species. On the basis of physiological and molecular properties, the isolate represents a novel species within the genus Lentibacillus, for which the name Lentibacillus salarius sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BH139(T) (= KCTC 3911(T) = DSM 16459(T)).