Etymology of Taxon Names

The information below provides a list containing descriptions of the origins of ICTV taxon names starting at the rank of realm and going down to the rank of family. This information is derived from the proposals that were submitted when each taxon was created. Links to these proposals, links to ICTV report chapters, and links to publications (through PMIDs) are provided when available.

We thank Stuart Siddell for compiling this list of name origins. Etymological information for taxa below the rank of family, can be found in the relevant ICTV Online (10th) Report chapters. If you have any comments or corrections, please contact us by sending an email to info@ictv.global.

Please select the virus realm containing your Realm of interest:

Realm
Enter all or part of a taxon name (family rank or higher)

Realm: Varidnaviria

Taxon: Mriyaviricetes Rank: class Proposal: 2024.010D.Varidnaviria_reorg.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from Ukrainian мрія [outdated transliteration: mriya], meaning dream; the suffix -viricetes for class taxa; connection unclear

Taxon: Yaraviridae Rank: family Proposal: 2021.008F.R.Yaraviridae_newfam.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from Yara, the mother of waters, a  mythological character of the Tupi indigenous people of Brazil; the suffix -viridae for family taxa; connection unclear

Taxon: Pokkesviricetes Rank: class Proposal: 2019.003G.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from the Middle English pokkes, meaning "pox", referring to the disease manifestation associated with some viruses in the taxon; the suffix -viricetes for class taxa

Taxon: Asfuvirales Rank: order Proposal: 2019.003G.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from Asfarviridae and "faustovirus" (a likely member of the order together with "pacmanviruses" and "kaumoebaviruses"); the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Asfarviridae Rank: family Proposal: Ratification_1998.pdf ICTV Report: Asfarviridae Reference: PMID: 6695498

from African swine fever and related viruses; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Chitovirales Rank: order Proposal: 2019.003G.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from the name of a higher-rank taxon for poxviruses proposed by Lwoff and Tournier in 1966 (“Chitovirales”; from the Greek χιτών, (khitōn), a tunic garment, referring to the morphological structure of poxviruses); the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Poxviridae Rank: family Proposal: ICTV 1st Report.pdf ICTV Report: Poxviridae Reference: PMID: 372132

from the Old English poc, meaning “pustule”, referring to the disease pox associated with some viruses of the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Preplasmiviricota Rank: phylum Proposal: 2019.003G.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from "precursor of certain plasmids", referring to the evolutionary relationship between viviricetessome viruses in the taxa and some plasmids; the suffix -viricota for phylum taxa

Taxon: Polisuviricotina Rank: subphylum Proposal: 2024.010D.Varidnaviria_reorg.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from polinton-like supergroup; the suffix -viricotina for subphylum taxa

Taxon: Aquintoviricetes Rank: class Proposal: 2024.010D.Varidnaviria_reorg.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from the Latin aqua, meaning water, and polinton (a reference to polintons first being associated with aquatic environments); the suffix -viricetes for class taxa

Taxon: Archintovirales Rank: order Proposal: 2024.010D.Varidnaviria_reorg.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from the Greek  ἀρχός (archo), meaning "ruler, widespread", and polinton; the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Phypoliviridae Rank: family Proposal: 2024.010D.Varidnaviria_reorg.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from phytoplankton and polinton; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Pharingeaviricetes Rank: class Proposal: 2024.010D.Varidnaviria_reorg.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from the Latin pharingea, meaning throat (a reference to adenovirids infecting adenoids); the suffix -viricetes for class taxa

Taxon: Rowavirales Rank: order Proposal: 2019.003G.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

to honour Wallace P. Rowe, one of the co-discoverers of adenoviruses in 1953, with the addition of the vowel a; the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Adenoviridae Rank: family Proposal: Ratification_1975.pdf ICTV Report: Adenoviridae Reference: PMID: 13223958

from adenoid, the tissue where adenoviruses, originally named adenoid degeneration viruses, were discoverd in 1953; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Polintoviricetes Rank: class Proposal: 2020.003D.R.Adintoviridae.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from the initial naming of adintoviruses as polinton “transposons", referring to the type B DNA polymerase (PolB) and retrovirus-like integrase genes encoded by members of the taxon; the suffix -viricetes for class taxa

Taxon: Amphintovirales Rank: order Proposal: 2024.010D.Varidnaviria_reorg.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from the Latin amphi, meaning both, and polinton (a reference to the two lifestyles of polintoviricetes as transposons or viruses); the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Eupolintoviridae Rank: family Proposal: 2024.010D.Varidnaviria_reorg.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from the Greek εὖ (eu) meaning true, and polinton (a reference to these viruses being the first polintoviricetes to be classified); the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Virophaviricetes Rank: class Proposal: 2024.010D.Varidnaviria_reorg.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from virophage; the suffix -viricetes for class taxa

Taxon: Divpevirales Rank: order Proposal: 2023.009F.Virophages_reorg.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from divergent penton proteins, referring to the exceptional genome organisation of members of the taxon; the suffix ‑virales for order taxa

Taxon: Ruviroviridae Rank: family Proposal: 2023.009F.Virophages_reorg.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from rumen virophages, referring to the source of members in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Lavidavirales Rank: order Proposal: 2023.009F.Virophages_reorg.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from large virus dependent or associated, referring to the dependence on, or association with, a large dsDNA virus of the family Mimiviridae; the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Maviroviridae Rank: family Proposal: 2023.009F.Virophages_reorg.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from Maverick-related virus and the suffix -viro, referring to the first isolated member of the taxon; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Mividavirales Rank: order Proposal: 2023.009F.Virophages_reorg.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from Mimivirus dependent or associated, referring to the replication of taxon members in association with a mimivirus; the suffix ‑virales for order taxa

Taxon: Sputniviroviridae Rank: family Proposal: 2023.009F.Virophages_reorg.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from Sputnik virus 1, and the addition of the vowel o, referring to the first isolated member of the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Priklausovirales Rank: order Proposal: 2019.003G.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from the Lithuanian priklausomas, meaning "dependent", a reference to the family Lavidaviridae (large virus dependent associated) a member of the taxon; the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Burtonviroviridae Rank: family Proposal: 2023.009F.Virophages_reorg.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from Mary Burton Gulliver, the wife of Lemuel Gulliver in Gulliver’s Travels (a novel by Jonathon Swift) and the addition of the suffix -viro, referring to members of the family as most closely related to the large virophages; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Dishuiviroviridae Rank: family Proposal: 2023.009F.Virophages_reorg.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from Dishui Lake in China, where the first member of the family, Chlorella virophage isolate SW01, was obtained and the addition of the suffix -viro, referring to members of the family as related to the large virophages; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Gulliviroviridae Rank: family Proposal: 2023.009F.Virophages_reorg.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from Lemuel Gulliver, the main character of Gulliver’s Travels (a novel by Jonathon Swift) and the addition of the suffix -viro, referring to members of the family as “giant" virophages but still relatively small compared to their associated giant viruses; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Omnilimnoviroviridae Rank: family Proposal: 2023.009F.Virophages_reorg.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from the Latin omni meaning “all or everywhere”, the Ancient Greek λίμνη (límnē) meaning "lake" and the addition of the suffix -viro, referring to  freshwater environments, since members of this virophage family were detected across a broad geographic range of freshwater lakes; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Prepoliviricotina Rank: subphylum Proposal: 2024.010D.Varidnaviria_reorg.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from predecessor of polintoviricetes; the suffix -viricotina for subphylum taxa

Taxon: Tectiliviricetes Rank: class Proposal: 2019.003G.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from tectivirid-like, referring to viruses of the family Tectiviridae; the suffix -viricetes for class taxa

Taxon: Kalamavirales Rank: order Proposal: 2019.003G.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from Kalamazoo, USA, where Pseudomonas phage PRD1 a member of the taxon was first isolated ; the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Tectiviridae Rank: family Proposal: Ratification_1978.pdf ICTV Report: Reference: PMID: 7793328

from the Latin tectus, meaning "covered",  referring to a lipid envelope covering the DNA compartment and separating the genomic DNA from a protein capsid in viruses of the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Realm: Unassigned

Taxon: Naldaviricetes Rank: class Proposal: 2020.006D.R.Naldaviricetes.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from NALDV meaning "nuclear arthropod large DNA viruses; the suffix ‑viricetes for class taxa

Taxon: Lefavirales Rank: order Proposal: 2020.006D.R.Naldaviricetes.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from “late expression factor”, referring to genes identified in a screen for ORFs required for, or supporting, late-phase baculovirus transcription; the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Baculoviridae Rank: family Proposal: Ratification_1975.pdf ICTV Report: Baculoviridae Reference: PMID: 16648963

from the Latin baculus, meaning “stick", referring to the morphology of virions of viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Filamentoviridae Rank: family Proposal: 2024.007D.Filamentoviridae_1nf_2ngen_3nsp.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from the Latin filamentum, meaning “filament”, referring to the filamentous-shape of virus particles observed in infected tissues; the suffix –viridae for family taxa.

Taxon: Hytrosaviridae Rank: family Proposal: 2009.001a-kI.A.v4.Hytrosaviridae.zip ICTV Report: Hytrosaviridae Reference:

from the Ancient Greek ὑπέρ (hupér), meaning, “excessive” and τροφή (trophḗ), meaning “nourishment", and sialoadenitis, meaning salivary gland inflammation referring to the salivary gland hypertrophy in  hosts infected by viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Nudiviridae Rank: family Proposal: 2013.003a-kI.A.v1.Nudiviridae.pdf ICTV Report: Nudiviridae Reference:

from the Latin nudus, meaning "naked", part of a previously used name nudibaculovirus, describing viruses with rod-shaped nucleocapsids lacking a protein matrix such as polyhedrin or granulin; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Nimaviridae Rank: family Proposal: Ratification_2002a.pdf ICTV Report: Nimaviridae Reference: PMID: 30404800

from the Hebrew nima, meaning “thread”, referring to the thread- or tail-like polar extension (appendage) on virions of some viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Alphasatellitidae Rank: family Proposal: 2017.004P.A.v4.Alphasatellitidae.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from the Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha), the first letter of the Greek alphabet and the Latin satellit, meaning "attendent", referring to mobile genetic elements that are dependent upon a helper virus to spread. The suffix -satelittidae is used for satelitte family taxa

Taxon: Ampullaviridae Rank: family Proposal: 2005.088B.04.Ampullaviridae.pdf ICTV Report: Ampullaviridae Reference:

from the Latin ampulla, meaning "bottle", referring to the unique bottle-shaped morphology of the virion; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Avsunviroidae Rank: family Proposal: Ratification_1998.pdf ICTV Report: Avsunviroidae Reference: PMID: 11050945

from a member of the family, Avocado sunblotch viroid, an infectious agent consisting only of naked RNA; the suffix -viroidae is used for viroid family taxa

Taxon: Bartogtaviriformidae Rank: family Proposal: 2022.001G.GTA_viriforms.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from the host genus name Bartonella and gene transfer agent; the suffix -viriformidae is used for viriform family taxa

Taxon: Bicaudaviridae Rank: family Proposal: 2007.090-2B.Bicaudaviridae.pdf ICTV Report: Bicaudaviridae Reference:

from the Latin bi meaning "two"  and the Latin cauda meaning " tail", referring to the virion morhologlogy of viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Brachygtaviriformidae Rank: family Proposal: 2022.001G.GTA_viriforms.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from the host genus name Brachyspira and gene transfer agent; the suffix -viriformidae is used for viriform family taxa

Taxon: Clavaviridae Rank: family Proposal: 2010.002a-gB.A.v2.Clavaviridae.zip ICTV Report: Clavaviridae Reference:

from Latin clava, meaning "club" or "stick", referring to the rigid, bacilliform virion morphology of viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Eurekaviridae Rank: family Proposal: 2024.007A.Eurekaviridae_newfam.zip ICTV Report: Reference:

from the Greek Eureka meaning “I have found it”, also the name of common variety of lemons, reminiscent of the virion shape; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Fuselloviridae Rank: family Proposal: Ratification_1990.pdf ICTV Report: Fuselloviridae Reference: PMID: 7903037

from the Latin fusillo, meaning "little spindle", referring to the virion morphology of viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa