The　discovery　of　nitrite-dependent　anaerobic　methane　oxidation　(n-damo)　mediated　by　Candidatus　Methylomirabilis　oxyfera＇　with　nitrite　and　methane　as　substrates　has　connected　biogeochemical　carbon　and　nitrogen　cycles　in　a　new　way.　The　paddy　fields　often　carry　substantial　methane　and　nitrate,　thus　may　be　a　favorable　habitat　for　n-damo　bacteria.　In　this　paper,　the　vertical-temporal　molecular　fingerprints　of　M.oxyfera-like　bacteria,　including　abundance　and　community　composition,　were　investigated　in　a　paddy　soil　core　in　Jiangyin,　near　the　Yangtze　River.　Through　qPCR　investigation,　high　abundance　of　M.oxyfera-like　bacteria　up　to　1.0x10(8)　copies　(g　d.w.s.)(-1)　in　summer　and　8.5x10(7)　copies　(g　d.w.s.)(-1)　in　winter　was　observed　in　the　ecotone　of　soil　and　groundwater　in　the　paddy　soil　core,　which　was　the　highest　in　natural　environments　to　our　knowledge.　In　the　ecotone,　the　ratio　of　M.oxyfera-like　bacteria　to　total　bacteria　reached　peak　values　of　2.80%　in　summer　and　4.41%　in　winter.　Phylogenetic　analysis　showed　n-damo　bacteria　in　the　paddy　soil　were　closely　related　to　M.oxyfera　and　had　high　diversity　in　the　soil/groundwater　ecotone.　All　of　the　results　indicated　the　soil/groundwater　ecotone　of　the　Jiangyin　paddy　field　was　a　favorable　environment　for　the　growth　of　n-damo　bacteria.