A Gram-negative, rod-shaped, gliding, aerobic bacterium,designated 12157T, was isolated from the desert of Xinjiang,China and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. The strain 12157T grew optimally at pH 7.0 and 30oC. MK-7was the predominant respiratory menaquinone. The DNA G+C content was 42.0 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the isolate was mostly related to members of the genus Pedobacter,with similarities ranging from 90.0% to 93.7%. Phylogenetic evidence and the results of phenotypic and genotypic analyses support the establishment of a novel species, Pedobacter xinjiangensis sp. nov., with strain 12157T (=CCTCC AB 208092T=NRRL B-51338 T) as the type strain.