A gram-positive, aerobic, slowly growing actinomycete was isolated from antarctic sandstone. Packets of spherical cells of this organism form clusters. The diagnostic diamino acid of the peptidoglycan is LL-diaminopimelic acid with glycine in position 1 of the peptide subunit. The major menaquinone is MK-9(H4), and the main cellular fatty acids are 12- and 13-methyltetradecanoic acids. Only a few organic compounds are metabolized. The DNA base composition is 73 mol% G + C. A 16S ribosomal DNA sequence comparison showed that this isolate is a phylogenetic neighbor of the propionibacteria and related taxa. Its closest relative is Microlunatus phosphovorus. Morphological, physiological, and genotypic characteristics support the description of a new genus and new species, Friedmanniella antarctica gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain is strain AA-1042 (= DSM 11053).