A Gram-negative, non-motile, rod-shaped and pink-pigmented bacterium, designated strain X2-1g(T), was isolated from a mixture of sand samples collected from the desert of Xinjiang, China, after exposure of the sand to 8 kGy gamma radiation. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing indicated that this isolate represents a novel member of the genus Hymenobacter, with low sequence similarities (<97 %) to recognized Hymenobacter species. Biolog GN2 assays supported this conclusion. Optimum growth was observed at pH 7 and 28 degrees C. The strain contained MK-7 as the predominant menaquinone and the major fatty acids were iso-C(15 : 0) (19.5 %), C(16 : 1) omega 7c/iso-C(15 : 0) 2-OH (20.2 %), C(16 : 1) omega 5c (10.6 %), C(16 : 0) (6.2 %), anteiso-C(17 : 1) B/iso-C(17 : 1) I (8.5 %) and C(18 : 0) (6.5 %). The DNA G+C content was 54 mol% (T(m)). On the basis of the polyphasic evidence presented, it is proposed that strain X2-1g(T) represents a novel species of the genus Hymenobacter, for which the name Hymenobacter xinjiangensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is X2-1g(T) (=CCTCC AB 206080(T) =IAM 15452(T)).