Subfamily: Betaherpesvirinae

Genus: Proboscivirus

Distinguishing features

The predicted amino acid sequences of members form a distinct lineage within the subfamily (Figure 1.Betaherpesvirinae). This lineage appears to have been the earliest to branch within the subfamily. 

Virion

See discussion under family description. 

Genome organization and replication

See discussion under family and subfamily description. 

Biology

Members have elephants as hosts. Infection is associated with cases of highly lethal acute haemorrhagic disease, which is largely confined to Asian elephant calves and is predominantly associated with elephantid endotheliotropic herpesvirus 1 (in the species Proboscivirus elephantidbeta1 (Long et al., 2016)). 

Species demarcation criteria

See discussion under family description.