A Gram- stain- positive, aerobic, non- mobile and spherical strain, designated ZS9- 10 T , belonging to the genus Deinococcus was isolated from soil sampled at the Chinese Zhong Shan Station, Antarctica. Growth was observed in the presence of 0-4 % (w/v) NaCl, at pH 7.0-8.0 and at 4-25 degrees C. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain ZS9- 10 T formed a lineage in the genus Deinococcus . It exhibited highest sequence similarity (97.4 %) to Deinococcus marmoris DSM 12784 T . The major phospholipids of ZS9- 10 T were unidentified phosphoglycolipid, unidentified glycolipids and unidentified lipids. The major fatty acids were summed feature 3 (C 16:1 omega 7 c and/or C 16: 1 omega 6 c ), C 16: 0 and C 16: 1 omega 7 c . MK - 8 was the predominant respiratory quinone. The digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity values between strain ZS9- 10 T and its close relative D. marmoris DSM 12784 T were 27.4 and 83.9 %, respectively. Based on phenotypic, phylogenetic and genotypic data, a novel species, named Deinococcus arenicola sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain iis ZS9- 10 T (=CCTCC AB 2019392 T =KCTC43192 T ).