A
Micromonospora
-like strain, RtIII47T, was isolated from a mangrove swamp in Sanya, Hainan Province, China. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that the strain had a close association with the genus
Verrucosispora
and shared the highest sequence similarity with
Verrucosispora lutea
YIM 013T (98.0 %). The strain also showed high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to
Micromonospora olivasterospora
DSM 43868T (97.9 %),
Plantactinospora mayteni
YIM 61359T (97.9 %),
Salinispora tropica
CNB-440T (97.8 %),
Micromonospora peucetia
DSM 43363T (97.7 %),
Micromonospora auratinigra
TT1-11T (97.7 %),
Verrucosispora sediminis
CGMCC 4.3550T (97.6 %) and
Salinispora arenicola
CNH-643T (97.5 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on the gyrB gene sequence supported the conclusion that strain RtIII47T should be assigned to the genus
Verrucosispora
. DNA–DNA relatedness between strain RtIII47T and the most closely related type strain,
V. lutea
YIM 013T, was less than 40 %. Chemotaxonomic results confirmed the taxonomic position of the isolate in the genus
Verrucosispora
, and revealed differences at the species level in polar lipids, whole-cell sugars and DNA G+C content. A combination of physiological and biochemical tests also distinguished this strain from other
Verrucosispora
species. Based on genotypic and phenotypic observations, strain RtIII47T ( = CGMCC 4.5826T = NBRC 106684T) is proposed as the type strain of a novel species, Verrucosispora qiuiae sp. nov. An emended description of the genus
Verrucosispora
is also provided.