Two whitish yellow, Gram-positive, non-motile, aerobic bacteria were isolated from enrichment culture during degradation of the thallus of the brown alga Fucus evanescens. The bacteria studied were chemo-organotrophic, mesophilic and grew well on nutrient media containing up to 15 % (w/v) NaCl. The DNA G+C content was 61 mol%. The two isolates exhibited a conspecific DNA-DNA relatedness value of 98 %, indicating that they belong to the same species. A comparative analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain KMM 3637 T formed a distinct phyletic lineage in the genus Brevibacterium (family Brevibacteriaceae, class Actinobacteria) and showed the highest sequence similarity (about 97 %) to Brevibacterium casei. DNA-DNA hybridization experiments demonstrated 45 % binding with the DNA of B. casei DSM 20657 T . Physiological and chemotaxonomic characteristics (meso-diaminopimelic acid in the peptidoglycan, major cellular fatty acids 15 : 0ai and 17 : 0ai) of the bacteria studied were consistent with the genomic and phylogenetic data. On the basis of the results of this study, a novel species, Brevibacterium celere sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is KMM 3637 T (=DSM 15453 T =ATCC BAA-809 T ).The genus Brevibacterium was proposed by Breed (1953) for some Gram-positive, non-spore-forming, non-branching rods formerly classified as members of the genus 'Bacterium'. A number of species with diverse morphological, physiological and biochemical properties were subsequently included in the genus (Breed, 1957). The description of the genus was later emended and restricted only to the species that correspond to the type species Brevibacterium linens in terms of morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics (Collins et al., 1980). Along with B. linens, the following Brevibacterium (sensu stricto) species are currently recognized within the genus: