The actinobacterial strain YIM 70185(T) was isolated from a saline soil sample collected from Qinghai province, north-west China, and subjected to a taxonomic investigation. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed 93.5-96.4 % similarity to members of related genera in the family Micrococcaceae. In the phylogenetic dendrogram based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain YIM 70185(T) formed a separate clade next to the genera Micrococcus and Citricoccus within the family Micrococcaceae. The peptidoglycan type was A4alpha, l-lys-l-ala-l-Glu. Cell-wall sugars contained glucose and tyvelose. The polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, an unknown phospholipid and an unknown glycolipid. The menaquinones were MK-9, MK-10 and MK-8 (molar ratio 5 : 2 : 1). The major fatty acids were ai-C(15 : 0) and i-C(15 : 0) and the DNA G+C content was 66.5 mol%. These chemotaxonomic profiles supported the assignment of strain YIM 70185(T) to a novel genus within the family Micrococcaceae. The name Zhihengliuella halotolerans gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Zhihengliuella halotolerans is YIM 70185(T) (=DSM 17364(T)=KCTC 19085(T)).