Strains TRF-1(T) and TC-9 were isolated from transfer spikes of two separate bottles containing 0.9 % NaCl (physiological saline) solution used repeatedly to wash wounds in hospital wards, months apart. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strains TRF-1(T) and TC-9 formed a distinct branch within the family Bacillaceae most closely related to the members of the genus Jeotgalicoccus. The two strains, with identical 16S rRNA gene sequences, showed sequence similarities of 89.8-93.9 % with species of Jeotgalicoccus, 91.1-91.8 % with species of Salinicoccus and 89.1-89.7 % with species of Staphylococcus. Strains TRF-1(T) and TC-9 are Gram-positive, non-spore-forming and non-motile cocci, with an optimum growth temperature of about 37 degrees C. Strain TRF-1(T) grew optimally in medium containing 3 % (w/v) NaCl (maximum about 14 % NaCl), while strain TC-9 grew optimally in medium with 1 % (w/v) NaCl. Both strains produce a brown pigment when grown in the presence of NaCl. The cell-wall peptidoglycan is of the A3alpha type with a cross-linkage containing the peptide l-Lys-Gly(4)-l-Ser-Gly. The major respiratory quinones are menaquinone 7 (MK-7) and menaquinone 8 (MK-8), the major fatty acids are straight-chain C(14 : 0) and C(16 : 0) (more than 85 % of the total) and the major polar lipid is an unknown aminophospholipid. The DNA G+C content is 33.5 mol%. On the basis of the phylogenetic analysis and physiological and biochemical characteristics, we are of the opinion that strains TRF-1(T) and TC-9 represent a novel species of a new genus, for which we propose the name Nosocomiicoccus ampullae gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain of Nosocomiicoccus ampullae is strain TRF-1(T) (=LMG 24060(T) =CIP 109506(T)).