Strain H38(T) was isolated during a study on the diversity of culturable psychrotolerant bacteria in raw milk. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain H38(T) belongs to the genus Chryseobacterium (family Flavobacteriaceae, phylum Bacteroidetes), with the highest similarity (96.7 %) to Chryseobacterium hispanicum VP48(T). Strain H38(T) grows aerobically, at 4-41 degrees C, with 0-2.5 % NaCl and at pH 6.5-10.5. Light induces the formation of yellow carotenoid pigments. The dominant cellular fatty acids are 15 : 0 iso (41.6 %), 15 : 0 anteiso (16.6 %) and 17 : 0 iso 3-OH (10.3 %). The G+C content of the DNA is 37.8 mol%. On the basis of its phenotypic properties and phylogenetic distinctiveness, strain H38(T) (=LMG 24029(T) =DSM 19056(T)) is classified in the genus Chryseobacterium as the type strain of a novel species, for which the name Chryseobacterium haifense sp. nov. is proposed.