Sixteen heparinase-producing isolates, related to Sphingobacterium heparinum, were grouped into three major clusters by SDS-PAGE and DNA-rRNA hybridizations. Based on a polyphasic approach, it was shown that isolates of two of these clusters and S. heparinum species belong to a new genus for which the name Pedobacter is proposed. The genus consists of Pedobacter heparinus comb. nov. (formerly Sphingobacterium heparinum), which is the type species, Pedobacter piscium comb. nov. (formerly Sphingobacterium piscium), Pedobacter africanus sp. nov. and Pedobacter saltans sp. nov. and four as-yet-unnamed DNA hybridization groups. All the previously named taxa can be discriminated by phenotypic features, but have strong overall similarities with representatives of the genus Sphingobacterium and the misclassified species [Flexibacter] canadensis. All these organisms constitute a separate rRNA branch in rRNA superfamily V for which the family Sphingobacteriaceae fam. nov. is proposed.

A Gram-stain-negative, short rod-shaped, motile (by gliding) bacterial strain, designated A12(T), was isolated from tundra soil collected from Ny-?lesund, in the Arctic region of Norway. The temperature, NaCl and pH ranges for growth were 4-25 �XC (optimum, 18 �XC), 0-2% (optimum, 0%) and pH 6-9 (optimum, pH 7). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the Arctic isolate belonged to the genus Pedobacter and showed highest sequence similarity (94.4%) to Pedobacter daechungensis KCTC 12637(T). The DNA G+C content (38.3 mol%), polar lipid profile, presence of sphingolipid, MK-7 as the only respiratory quinone, and summed feature 3 (comprising C(16:1)�s7c and/or C(16:1)�s6c), iso-C(15:0) and iso-C(17:0) 3-OH as major fatty acids supported the allocation of strain A12(T) to the genus Pedobacter as a representative of a novel species, for which the name Pedobacter arcticus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is A12(T) (= CCTCC AB 2010223(T) = NRRL B-59457(T)). Emended descriptions of the genus Pedobacter and of Pedobacter heparinus, Pedobacter daechungensis, Pedobacter terricola, Pedobacter glucosidilyticus and Pedobacter lentus are also given.