A novel moderately halophilic, Gram-positive bacterium, designated strain QW6T, was isolated from textile industry wastewater in Qom, Iran. Strain QW6T was strictly aerobic, non-motile, non-sporulating and oxidase- and catalase-positive. It grew at salinities of 1–25 % (w/v) NaCl, showing optimal growth at 7.5–10.0 % (w/v). Growth occurred at 5.0–45.0 °C and over the pH range 6.5–10.0; growth was optimal at 35 °C and pH 7.5. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons indicated that strain QW6T is a member of the genus Salinicoccus. The organism possessed Lys- and Gly-containing peptidoglycan. Strain QW6T had iso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C15 : 0 as the predominant fatty acids and MK-6 as the major respiratory lipoquinone. The chemotaxonomic profile of this organism was consistent with its classification in the genus Salinicoccus. The DNA G+C content of strain QW6T was 54.4 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic characteristics, 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and DNA–DNA relatedness of less than 50 % to species of the genus Salinicoccus, it is proposed that strain QW6T (=DSM 18903T=CCM 7448T) should be placed in the genus Salinicoccus as the type strain of a novel species, Salinicoccus iranensis sp. nov
