A broad-host-range vibriophage, KVP40, was isolated from sea water by using Vibrio parahaemolyticus 1010 (EB101) as the indicator host. The host range of KVP40 extended over at least 8 Vibrio and 1 Photobacterium species. KVP40 was a large tailed phage containing double-stranded DNA and belonged to Ackermann's morphotype A2. KVP40 DNA was cleaved by 11 different type II restriction endonucleases including EcoRI and HindIII, but not by 17 other enzymes including BamHI, KpnI and SalI.