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 taxa of interest:

Realm

Realm: Riboviria

Taxon: Caliciviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: Ratification 1981; ICTV Report: Caliciviridae; Reference: PMID: 10804145

from the Latin calix, meaning “cup” or “goblet”, referring to cup-shaped depressions on the virion surface of viruses in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Dicistroviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: Ratification 2002a; ICTV Report: Dicistroviridae; Reference: PMID: 6659369

referring to the characteristic dicistronic arrangement of the genome of viruses in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Iflaviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: 2006.029-31I.04.Iflaviridae; ICTV Report: Iflaviridae

from the former species name, Infectious flacherie virus (now Iflavirus flacherie), a taxon in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Marnaviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: 2003.F094-098.Marnaviridae; ICTV Report: Marnaviridae

a portmanteau from the Latin mare, meaning "sea", referring to the environment from which virus was isolated, and RNA, referring to ribonucleic acid, the genetic material of viruses in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Noraviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: 2022.001S.Picornavirales_1nf

from the Armenian nora, meaning "new", referring to  Nora virus, a member of the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Picornaviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: ICTV 1st Report; ICTV Report: Picornaviridae; Reference: PMID: 21413259

an acronym from poliovirus, insensitivity to ether, coxsackievirus, orphan virus, rhinovirus, and ribonucleic acid; also, from the Spanish pico, meaning "a small balance" referring to a very small unit of measurement  and RNA, describing the small RNA genome of viruses in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Polycipiviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: 2017.011S.A.v2.Polycipiviridae; ICTV Report: Polycipiviridae

from polycistronic picorna-like, referring to the genome organisation of viruses in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Secoviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: 2007.057-9P.Secoviridae; ICTV Report: Secoviridae

to reflect the amalgamation of the now defunct families Sequiviridae and Comoviridae (respectively from the Latin sequi, meaning to "accompany", referring to the dependent aphid transmission of parsnip yellow fleck virus, and from cowpea mosaic virus), both members of the virus family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Solinviviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: 2016.017a-kS.A.v2.Solinviviridae; ICTV Report: Solinviviridae

from Solenopsis invicta virus 3, a member of the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa 

Taxon: Sobelivirales; Rank: order; Proposal: 2019.006G.A.v1.Riboviria

a portmanteau of sobemovirus-like; the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Alvernaviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: 2009.016a-iP.A.v7.Alvernaviridae

from the dinoflagellate host ( Heterocapsa circularisquama, a member of the Alveolata) and RNA for ribonucleic acid, referring to the ssRNA genome of viruses in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Barnaviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: Ratification 1993; Reference: PMID: 8030251

from bacilliform-shaped virus and RNA for ribonucleic acid, referring to the morphology of virions and the  genome of viruses in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Solemoviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: 2017.003P.A.v2.Solemoviridae; ICTV Report: Solemoviridae

from the combination of Sobemovirus (from Southern bean mosaic virus) and Polemovirus (from potato leafroll virus), two genera in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Stelpaviricetes; Rank: class; Proposal: 2019.006G.A.v1.Riboviria

a portmanteau of the names of the founding orders (Stellavirales, Patatavirales); the suffix -viricetes for class taxa

Taxon: Patatavirales; Rank: order; Proposal: 2019.006G.A.v1.Riboviria

from the Italian patata meaning "potato", referencing potato virus Y, a member of the taxon; the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Potyviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: Ratification 1993; ICTV Report: Potyviridae; Reference: PMID: 2472047

from potato virus Y, a member of the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Stellavirales; Rank: order; Proposal: 2019.006G.A.v1.Riboviria

from the Latin stella, meaning "star" (a reference to astroviruses, included in the taxon); the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Astroviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: ICTV 6th Report; Reference: PMID: 15802951

from the Greek astron, meaning "star", referring to the star-like appearance of spikes projecting from the surface of virions of viruses in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Yadokarivirales; Rank: order; Proposal: 2021.005F.R.Yadokarivirales_neworder

from the Japanese yadokari, meaning borrowing (Kari) a house to stay (Yado), or biologically, hermit, describing the lifestyle (hetero-encapsidation) of yadokariviruses; the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Yadokariviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: 2021.005F.R.Yadokarivirales_neworder; ICTV Report: Yadokariviridae

from the Japanese yadokari ( やどかり , 宿借 ), meaning “room borrower", referring to the lifestyle (hetero-encapsidation) of viruses in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Hadakaviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: 2021.004F.R.Hadakaviridae_newfam; ICTV Report: Hadakaviridae

from the Japanese hadaka ( 裸、はだか ), meaning “naked”, referring to the capsidless nature of viruses in this family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Birnaviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: Ratification 1984; ICTV Report: Birnaviridae; Reference: PMID: 6743022

from the Latin  bi meaning “two”,  and RNA for ribonucleic acid, referring to the bisegmented nature of the genome, as well as the presence of dsRNA, in viruses of the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Permutotetraviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: 2010.001a-qI.A.v4.Tetraviridae

from the Latin permutare, meaninmg "to change thoroughly" and  the Ancient Greek τετρα (tetra), meaning 4 "four", referring to the type of RdRPp (replicase) whose active site is permuted and the T=4 capsid architecture of viruses in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Pararnavirae; Rank: kingdom; Proposal: 2019.006G.A.v1.Riboviria

from the Greek παρά (pará), meaning "besides/next to", and RNA for ribonucleic acid, referring to the second kingdom in the realm Riboviria  ; the suffix -virae for kingdom taxa

Taxon: Artverviricota; Rank: phylum; Proposal: 2019.006G.A.v1.Riboviria

a portmanteau of reverse transcriptase when read backwards, referring to the mode of genome replication of viruses in the taxon; the suffix -viricota for phylum taxa

Taxon: Revtraviricetes; Rank: class; Proposal: 2019.006G.A.v1.Riboviria

a portmanteau of reverse transcriptase, referring to the mode of genome replication of viruses in the taxon; the suffix -viricetes for class taxa

Taxon: Blubervirales; Rank: order; Proposal: 2019.006G.A.v1.Riboviria

to honour Barry Blumberg for his role in hepatitis B research; the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Hepadnaviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: Ratification 1990; ICTV Report: Hepadnaviridae; Reference: PMID: 4113490

from the Greek hepar, meaning “liver” and DNA for deoxyribonucleic acid, referring to the infection of liver tissues and the deoxyribonucleic acid genome of viruses in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Ortervirales; Rank: order; Proposal: 2017.013D.A.v1.Ortervirales

from orter, an inversion of retro, which stands for reverse transcription, referring to the mode of genome replication of viruses in the taxon; the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Belpaoviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: 2017.001D.A.v1.Belpaoviridae; ICTV Report: Belpaoviridae

from Drosophila melanogaster Bel virus and the Bombyx mori Pao virus, two members of the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Caulimoviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: Ratification 1997; ICTV Report: Caulimoviridae; Reference: PMID: 14433226

from cauliflower mosaic virus, a member of the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Metaviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: Ratification 1998; ICTV Report: Metaviridae; Reference: PMID: 7760826

from the late Latin metathesis, meaning “transposition”, referring to the family of retrotransposons; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Pseudoviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: Ratification 1998; ICTV Report: Pseudoviridae; Reference: PMID: 12411593

from the Greek ψευδής (pseudes), meaning "false", referring to an evolutionary relationship of family members to viruses with extracellular virions, although they themselves have no extracellular phase; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Retroviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: Ratification 1975; ICTV Report: Retroviridae; Reference: PMID: 21433350

from the Latin retro, meaning “backwards”, referring to the activity of reverse transcriptase which transfers genetic information from RNA “back” to DNA during replication of viruses in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Polymycoviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: 2019.002F.A.v1.Polymycoviridae_1newfam; ICTV Report: Polymycoviridae

from the Ancient Greek πολύς (polús), meaning “many" and mukēs (myco), meaning fungus, referring to the hosts of viruses in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Sarthroviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: 2015.002a-gS.A.v3.Sarthroviridae; ICTV Report: Sarthroviridae

from small arthropod, referring to the host (giant freshwater prawns) of viruses in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Realm: Ribozyviria

Taxon: Ribozyviria; Rank: realm; Proposal: 2020.012D.R.Ribozyviria

from ribozyme, a unique and defining component of viruses of the realm; the suffix -viria for realm taxa

Taxon: Kolmioviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: 2020.012D.R.Ribozyviria; ICTV Report: Deltavirus

from the Finnish kolmio, meaning triangle, a tongue-in-cheek reference to the Greek letter Δ δέλτα (délta), referring to the genus Deltavirus, a taxon in the family that was named after delta-antigen; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Realm: Varidnaviria

Taxon: Varidnaviria; Rank: realm; Proposal: 2019.003G.A.v1.Varidnaviria

a portmanteau of various DNA viruses; the suffix -viria for realm taxa

Taxon: Bamfordvirae; Rank: kingdom; Proposal: 2019.003G.A.v1.Varidnaviria

to honour Dennis Bamford who first promoted the evolutionary unity of all DJR-MCP viruses; the suffix -virae for kingdom taxa

Taxon: Nucleocytoviricota; Rank: phylum; Proposal: 2019.003G.A.v1.Varidnaviria

from nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs), an unofficial name for this group of viruses; the suffix -viricota for phylum taxa

Taxon: Megaviricetes; Rank: class; Proposal: 2019.003G.A.v1.Varidnaviria

from the Greek μέγας (mégas), meaning "large", referring to the extremely long genomes of viruses in this taxon; the suffix -viricetes for class taxa

Taxon: Algavirales; Rank: order; Proposal: 2019.003G.A.v1.Varidnaviria

from alga, referring to the hosts of many viruses in this taxon: the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Phycodnaviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: Ratification 1990; Reference: PMID: 12181671

from the Ancient Greek φῦκος (phûkos), meaning “seaweed” and DNA for deoxyribonucleic acid, referring to the host (marine or freshwater eukaryotic algae) and the dsDNA genome of viruses in the family; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Imitervirales; Rank: order; Proposal: 2019.003G.A.v1.Varidnaviria

from the French imiter, meaning "to mimic", referring to to mimiviruses (microbe-imitating); the suffix -virales for order taxa

Taxon: Allomimiviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: 2022.004F.Imitervirales_reorg

from the Ancient Greek ἄλλος (állos), meaning "other" or "another", and Mimiviridae, referring to the evolutionary relationship between the two families; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Mesomimiviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: 2022.004F.Imitervirales_reorg

from the Ancient Greek μέσος (mésos), meaning "middle", and Mimiviridae, reflecting the evolutionary relationship of viruses in the two families; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Mimiviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: 2005.004F.04.Mimiviridae

from microbe mimicking because the particle size of viruses in the family makes them visible under the light microscope; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Schizomimiviridae; Rank: family; Proposal: 2022.004F.Imitervirales_reorg

from the Ancient Greek σχίζω (skhízō) meaning "split", and Mimiviridae reflecting the evolutionary relationship of viruses in the two families; the suffix -viridae for family taxa

Taxon: Pimascovirales; Rank: order; Proposal: 2019.003G.A.v1.Varidnaviria

a portmanteau of pithoviruses, iridoviruses, marseilleviruses and ascoviruses, members of the taxon; the suffix -virales for order taxa

Wed, 10/18/2023 - 13:56