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

Realm: Monodnaviria

Taxon: Nenyaviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2021.010F.R.Cressdna_2neword_3newfam_21newgen.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from Nenya the ring of water, one of three rings of power from Middle-earth in the fictional novels of JR Tolkein; the suffix -viridae for family taxa; connection unclear

Taxon: Saturnivirales  Rank: order  Proposal: 2023.025D.Saturnivirales_1no_2nf_35ng_120nsp.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from Saturn, which is also known as the Ringed Planet, referring to the genome circularity of members of the family; the suffix ‑virales for order taxa.

Taxon: Kanorauviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2023.025D.Saturnivirales_1no_2nf_35ng_120nsp.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from the Māori Kanorau meaning "to be diverse", referring to the diversity of viruses of the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Mahapunaviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2023.025D.Saturnivirales_1no_2nf_35ng_120nsp.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from the Māori maha puna meaning "many sources", referring to the diversity of viruses of the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Repensiviricetes  Rank: class  Proposal: 2019.012D.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

referring to the Rep-encoding single stranded DNA viruses in the taxon; the suffix -vircetes for class taxa

Taxon: Geplafuvirales  Rank: order  Proposal: 2019.012D.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from geminivirus, and also plants and fungi, referring to the hosts of viruses in the taxon; the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Geminiviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: Ratification_1993.pdf    ICTV Report: Geminiviridae  Reference: PMID: 18256781  

from the Latin geminus meaning "twin", referring to the characteristic twinned (geminate) virion morphology of viruses in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Genomoviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2015.002a-gF.A.v2.Genomoviridae.pdf    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from geminivirus-like and no movement, indicating the lack of a movement protein gene in viruses of the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Geplanaviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2023.020D.Geplafuvirales_1nf_18ng_30nsp.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from gemini-like Rep plant and animal associated viruses, referring to the geminivirus Rep sequence (GRS) motif found in members of the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Trapavirae  Rank: kingdom  Proposal: 2019.005G.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from Trapani, Italy, where Halorubrum pleomorphic virus 1, a member of the taxon, was discovered; the suffix -virae for kingdom taxa

Taxon: Calorviricota  Rank: phylum  Proposal: 2024.004A.Thalassapleoviridae_newphylum_v1.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from the Latin calor, meaning heat, referring to the environmental conditions under which these viruses replicate; the suffix -viricota for phylum taxa

Taxon: Caminiviricetes  Rank: class  Proposal: 2024.004A.Thalassapleoviridae_newphylum_v1.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from the Latin camini, meaning chimneys, referring to the chimney-like deep sea hydrothermal vents in which Archaeoglobales and their viruses thrive; the suffix -vircetes for class taxa

Taxon: Ageovirales  Rank: order  Proposal: 2024.004A.Thalassapleoviridae_newphylum_v1.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

a truncation of Archaeoglobus and Geoglobus, two genera of archaea that host viruses in the order; the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Thalassapleoviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2024.004A.Thalassapleoviridae_newphylum_v1.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from Thalassa, th Greek goddess of the sea, referring to the sample source, and from pleolipovirus; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Saleviricota  Rank: phylum  Proposal: 2019.005G.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from the Italian sale, meaning "salt", referencing the halophilic hosts of most pleolipovirids; the suffix -viricota for phylum taxa

Taxon: Huolimaviricetes  Rank: class  Proposal: 2019.005G.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from the Finnish huolimaton, meaning "sloppy", referencing the unmethodical assembly of pleolipovirions; the suffix -viricetes for class taxa

Taxon: Haloruvirales  Rank: order  Proposal: 2019.005G.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from Halorubrum pleomorphic virus 1, HRPV-1, a member of the taxon; the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Pleolipoviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2015.042a-oB.A.v3.Pleolipoviridae.pdf    ICTV Report: Pleolipoviridae  Reference:   

from the Ancient Greek πλεῖον (pleo), meaning "many", and λῐ́πος (lípos), meaning “animal fat”, referring to the pleomorphic shape and presence of an envelope in virions of viruses in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Realm: Riboviria

Taxon: Riboviria  Rank: realm  Proposal: 2017.006G.A.v3.Riboviria.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from ribo, for ribonucleic acid, referring to the genome of viruses in the realm; the suffix -viria for realm taxa

Taxon: Orthornavirae  Rank: kingdom  Proposal: 2019.006G.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from the Greek ὀρθός (orthós) meaning "straight" or "true" and RNA for ribonucleic acid; the suffix -virae for kingdom taxa

Taxon: Ambiviricota  Rank: phylum  Proposal: 2023.007F.Ambiviricota_nphy.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from ambivirus(es), referring to the non-overlapping ambisense orientation of open reading frames in the genome of members of the taxon; the suffix ‑viricota for phylum taxa

Taxon: Suforviricetes  Rank: class  Proposal: 2023.007F.Ambiviricota_nphy.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

to honour Suvi Sutela and Marc Forgia, the co-discoveres of ambiviruses in endomycorrhizal fungi; the suffix ‑viricetes for class taxa

Taxon: Crytulvirales  Rank: order  Proposal: 2023.007F.Ambiviricota_nphy.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from Cryphonectria and Tulasnella, referring to the host genera for fungi in which ambiviruses were first discovered; the suffix ‑virales for order taxa

Taxon: Dumbiviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2023.007F.Ambiviricota_nphy.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from the Latin duo, meaning two, and ambivirus, referring to one of several families in the parent taxon; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Quambiviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2023.007F.Ambiviricota_nphy.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from the Latin quattuor, meaning four, and ambivirus, referring to one of several families in the parent taxon; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Trimbiviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2023.007F.Ambiviricota_nphy.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from the Latin tria, meaning three, and ambivirus, referring to one of several families in the parent taxon; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Unambiviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2023.007F.Ambiviricota_nphy.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from the Latin unus, meaning "one", and ambivirus, referring to one of several families in the parent taxon; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Artimaviricota  Rank: phylum  Proposal: 2024.039D.Artimaviricota_np.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from the Lithuanian artima, meaning close, and RT (phonetically "arti"), referring to the potential link to viral RTs; the suffix -viricota for phylum taxa

Taxon: Furtirnaviricetes  Rank: class  Proposal: 2024.039D.Artimaviricota_np.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from the Latin furtivus, meaning hidden, secret, and RNA; the suffix -viricetes for class taxa

Taxon: Divaquavirales  Rank: order  Proposal: 2024.039D.Artimaviricota_np.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from diverse aquatic, referring to the environments in which viruses in the order were discovered; the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Hakuzoviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2024.039D.Artimaviricota_np.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from Hakuzo, the White elephant which is a signature of Fugen Bosatsu (Samantabhadra in Buddhism), referring to the Fugen-dake, the largest volcano of the Mt. Unzen, the area where hot spring RNA virus 1 was discovered; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Duplornaviricota  Rank: phylum  Proposal: 2019.006G.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from the Italian duplo meaning "double" and RNA for ribonucleic acid, a reference to viruses in this phylum having double-stranded RNA genomes; the suffix -viricota for phylum taxa

Taxon: Chrymotiviricetes  Rank: class  Proposal: 2019.006G.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from Chrysoviridae, Megabirnaviridae, and the now defunct Totiviridae, three virus families originally included in the taxon; the suffix -viricetes for class taxa

Taxon: Ghabrivirales  Rank: order  Proposal: 2019.006G.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

in honour of Said Ghabrial, a pioneer in the study of the viruses in this order; the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Alphatotivirineae  Rank: suborder  Proposal: 2023.015F.Ghabrivirales_reorg.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from the Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha), the first letter of the Greek alphabet and the now defunct family Totiviridae (from the Latin toti, meaning "undivided" or "whole" ), one of the founding taxa of the order Ghabrivirales; the suffix ‑virineae for suborder taxa

Taxon: Botybirnaviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2023.015F.Ghabrivirales_reorg.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from, Botrytis porri, the host of Botrytis porri RNA virus 1, and the bi-segmented dsRNA genome of members of the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Chrysoviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: Ratification_2002a.pdf    ICTV Report: Chrysoviridae  Reference: PMID: 5191625  

from the Greek chrysómeaning “gold”, derived from the specific epithet of Penicillium chrysogenum, the fungal host of Penicillium chrysogenum virus, a member of the virus family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Fusagraviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2023.015F.Ghabrivirales_reorg.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from Fusarium graminearum, host of Fusarium graminearum virus 3, a member of the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Megabirnaviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2010.002a-gF.A.v1.Megabirnaviridae.zip    ICTV Report: Megabirnaviridae  Reference:   

from the Ancient Greek μέγας (mégas), meaning “great", and Birnaviridae, referring to the size of the bisegmented dsRNA genome of viruses in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Monocitiviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2023.015F.Ghabrivirales_reorg.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from monocistronic toti-like viruses; referring to the genome organisation of members of the family and the relationship to totiviruses; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Orthototiviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2023.015F.Ghabrivirales_reorg.zip    ICTV Report: Orthototiviridae  Reference:   

from the Ancient Greek ὀρθός (orthos), meaning “correct” or “straight”  and the Latin toti, meaning "undivided" or "whole",  referring to the mono-segmented dsRNA genome of viruses in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Phlegiviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2023.015F.Ghabrivirales_reorg.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from Phlebiopsis gigantea, the host of Phlebiopsis gigantea large virus 1, a member of the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Pseudototiviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2023.015F.Ghabrivirales_reorg.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from the Ancient Greek ψευδής (pseudes), meaning"false" and the addition of the vowel o; referring to the earlier placement of members of the family in the now defunct Totiviridae; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Quadriviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2012.001a-gF.A.v4.Quadriviridae.zip    ICTV Report: Quadriviridae  Reference:   

from the Latin quattuor, meaning "four", referring to the quadripartite nature of the genome of viruses in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Spiciviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2023.015F.Ghabrivirales_reorg.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from Spissistilus festinus and Circulifer tenellus, the hosts of the first reported viruses in the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Betatotivirineae  Rank: suborder  Proposal: 2023.015F.Ghabrivirales_reorg.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from the Ancient Greek βῆτα (bêta), the second letter of the Greek alphabet and the now defunct family Totiviridae, one of the founding taxa of the order Ghabrivirales; the suffix ‑virineae for suborder taxa

Taxon: Artiviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2023.015F.Ghabrivirales_reorg.zip    ICTV Report: Artiviridae  Reference:   

from arthropod totivirus, referring to the hosts of members in the family and the relationship to totiviruses; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Giardiaviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2023.015F.Ghabrivirales_reorg.zip    ICTV Report:   Reference:   

from Giardia lamblia, host of Giardia lamblia virus, a member of the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Inseviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2023.015F.Ghabrivirales_reorg.zip    ICTV Report: Inseviridae  Reference:   

from insect toti-like virus, referring to the host of viruses in the family and the relationship to totiviruses; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Lebotiviridae  Rank: family  Proposal: 2023.015F.Ghabrivirales_reorg.zip    ICTV Report: Lebotiviridae  Reference:   

from Leptopilina boulardi toti-like virus, a member of the family; the suffix ‑viridae for family taxa