A Gram-stain-negative, non-spore-forming, motile, strictly aerobic bacterial strain, designated CAU 1294T, was isolated from a sand sample and its taxonomic position was investigated using a polyphasic approach. The strain grew optimally at pH 6.5 and 30 °C and in the presence of 2% (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain CAU 1294T formed a lineage with member of the genus Sneathiella and exhibited similarity to Sneathiella glossodoripedis MKT133T (96.3% similarity) and Sneathiella chinensis LMG 23452T (95.1% similarity). Strain CAU 1294T contained Q-10 as the predominant respiratory quinone. C18:1ω7c, C16:0 and cyclo-C19:0ω8c were the major cellular fatty acids. The polar lipids were composed of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine and two unidentified phospholipids. The DNA G+C content was 56.6 mol%. On the basis of these results, strain CAU 1294T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Sneathiella, for which the name Sneathiella chungangensis is proposed. The type strain is CAU 1294T (=KCTC 32476T=CECT 8513T). An emended description of the genus Sneathiella is also proposed.