A novel Gram-negative and facultative anaerobic strain, designated MS1T, was isolated from gajami sikhae, a traditional fermented food in Korea made from flatfish. Strain MS1T was motile, rod-shaped and oxidase- and catalase-positive, and required 1-2% (w/v) NaCl for growth. Growth occurred at temperatures ranging from 4 to 40 degrees C and the pH range for optimal growth was pH 6.5-9.0. Strain MS1T was capable of reducing trimethylamine oxide, nitrate and thiosulfate. Phylogenetic analysis placed strain MS1T within the genus Alishewanella. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain MS1T was related closely to Alishewanella aestuarii B11T (98.67% similarity) and Alishewanella fetalis CCUG 30811T (98.04% similarity). However, DNA-DNA reassociation experiments between strain MS1T and reference strains showed relatedness values<70% (42.6 and 14.8% with A. aestuarii B11T and A. fetalis CCUG 30811T, respectively). Genotypic, physiological and biochemical analyses allowed the differentiation of strain MS1T from type strains of species belonging to the genus Alishewanella. Therefore, we propose that strain MS1T (=KCTC 22429T=JCM 15561T) is assigned to a novel species, Alishewanella jeotgali sp. nov.