Strain 20041(T) was isolated from sea-ice of the Canadian Basin (7 degrees 23' 14'' N 14 degrees 06' 55'' W). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene homology showed that strain 20041(T) was related to members of the genus Marinobacter and had highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with the type strain of Marinobacter maritimus. Cells were Gram-negative, rod-shaped, psychrophilic and motile. The temperature range for growth was 0-22 degrees C, with optimum growth occurring at 16-18 degrees C and at approximately pH 6.0-9.0. Strain 20041(T) had ubiquinone-9 as the major respiratory quinone and iso-C(15 : 0) 2OH and/or C(16 : 1)omega7c, C(16 : 0), C(18 : 1)omega9c and C(12 : 0) 3OH as major fatty acids. The genomic DNA G+C content was 55.4 mol%. On the basis of the phenotypic characteristics, phylogenetic analysis and DNA-DNA relatedness data, strain 20041(T) is considered to represent a novel species, for which the name Marinobacter psychrophilus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 20041(T) (=CGMCC 1.6499(T)=JCM 14643(T)).