A novel bacterial strain, designated 170(T), was collected from high latitude Arctic locations (77 degrees 30' N to approximately 81 degrees 12' N), including the Canadian Basin and Greenland Sea. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons showed that strain 170(T) was related to members of the genus Glaciecola and had the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Glaciecola mesophila. Cells were Gram-negative, psychrophilic, motile rods. The temperature range for growth was 4-15 degrees C, with optimum growth at 12 degrees C and at approximately pH 6.0-9.0. Strain 170(T) contained C(16 : 1)omega7c, C(16 : 0), C(12 : 1) 3-OH and C(18 : 1)omega7c as major fatty acids. The genomic DNA G+C content was 42.9 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic characterization, phylogenetic analysis and DNA-DNA relatedness data, strain 170(T) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Glaciecola, for which the name Glaciecola psychrophila is proposed. The type strain is 170(T) (=CGMCC 1.6130(T)=JCM 13954(T)).