An aerobic, pale-orange-pigmented, Gram-stain-negative bacterium, designated strain EM39T, was isolated from seawater from the eastern coast of Jeju Island, Korea, and its taxonomic status was established using a polyphasic approach. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence studies revealed that strain EM39T formed a distinct lineage within the family Flavobacteriaceae and could be distinguished from strains of members of the related genera Gaetbulibacter, Mariniflexile and Tamlana by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis (similarity values between strain EM39T and related strains were all less than 93.8%). Cells of strain EM39T were non-gliding, catalase- and oxidase-positive rods that were devoid of flexirubin pigments. Growth was observed at 15-35 degrees C (optimum, 25-30 degrees C) and pH 6.5-9.0 (optimum, pH 7.0-8.5). The genomic DNA G+C content was 34.6 mol% and the major respiratory quinone was MK-6. The predominant cellular fatty acids were iso-C15:0, iso-C15:1 G and iso-C17:0 3-OH. On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic data, strain EM39T represents a novel species in a new genus in the family Flavobacteriaceae, for which the name Jejuia pallidilutea gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is EM39T (=KCTC 22298T=DSM 21165T).