Virus Properties by Family

Columns in the table with blue text headers can be sorted by clicking on the header text. Clicking twice will reverse the sort order.

Column 1
A numerical designation is provided for each indicated taxonomic family. This number is not persistent and will vary according to the settings of the selection filter. It  provides a means of counting the number of families matching the filters.

Family (sortable)
This column lists the virus families that are recognized in the current Master Species List (MSL).

Genera (sortable)
The number of genera present in the indicated family.

Species (sortable)
The number of species present in the indicated family.

Genome (sortable)
This column describes the chemical nature of the genome (DNA or RNA) and whether it is double-stranded (ds) or single stranded (ss). The suffix -RT indicates that reverse transcription is involved in the replication of the genome.

For ss genomes, the polarity of the genome is indicated: (+), mRNA polarity; (-), complementary to mRNA; (+/-), ambisense. At the family level, viruses with segmented genomes may have segments with different polarities (e.g., some arenaviruses have only ssRNA(-), others have ssRNA(-) and ssRNA(+/-) segments. In this case, the genome composition is designated as ssRNA(-); ssRNA(+/-) to indicate that both forms can be found in the genome.

Genome topology (sortable)
This column indicates if the genome is a linear or circular molecule and the number of segments

Total genome size (kb or kbp)
This column indicates the range of sizes encompassed by genomes of virus isolates described in the current Virus Metadata Resource (VMR).

Envelope (sortable)
This column indicates if the virion is known to have, or not have, a lipid envelope. A value of "Yes or No" indicates the variable presence of an envelope. Viruses identified only by metagenomics will usually not have a value in this column (envelope is "not determined").

Virion shape (sortable)
This column indicates the shape of the virion, as seen by electron microscopy. The column also includes some predicted morphologies but does not include information for many viruses identified only by metagenomics.

Virion size
This column indicates the typical range of virion sizes encompassed by virus isolates described in the current VMR.

Host (sortable)
This column indicates the known host(s) of viruses in the family. Hosts are uncertain for many viruses, especially those described by metagenomic analysis of environmental samples. The term protist is used to mean any eukaryotic organism that is not an animal, plant or fungus.

ICTV Report Chapter
This column provides a link to the relevant ICTV online report chapter.

Display families with the following properties:

Enter any part of a taxon name at the rank of family or higher to return the matching family names in that hierarchy
Family Genera Species Genome Genome topology Genome size (kb/kbp) Envelope Virion shape Virion size Host ICTV Report Chapter
301 Piccoloviridae 1 1 ssDNA(+) 1 circular segment 5.2-5.3 predicted icosahedral bacteria
302 Pichoviridae 16 16 ssDNA(+) 1 circular segment 4.1-5.0 predicted icosahedral bacteria
303 Picobirnaviridae 1 3 dsRNA 2 linear segments 3.5-4.3 no icosahedral 33-37 nm diameter bacteria Picobirnaviridae
304 Picornaviridae 68 159 ssRNA(+) 1 linear segment 2.1-10.2 no icosahedral 30-32 nm diameter vertebrates Picornaviridae
305 Pieniviridae 4 4 ssDNA(+) 1 circular segment 6.0-6.4 predicted icosahedral bacteria
306 Pigerviridae 1 1 dsDNA 1 linear segment 53.2-53.3 predicted head-tail archaea
307 Pikkuviridae 7 7 ssDNA(+) 1 circular segment 5.5-7.0 predicted icosahedral bacteria
308 Pistolviridae 1 4 dsRNA 1 linear segment 5.8-6.7 no icosahedral 50 nm diameter vertebrates Pistolviridae
309 Pithoviridae 2 6 dsDNA 1 circular segment 460.0-683.3 no ovoid 1000-1500 nm long, 500 nm wide protists
310 Piticuviridae 1 1 ssDNA(+) 1 circular segment 5.0-5.1 predicted icosahedral bacteria
311 Pituviridae 7 8 dsDNA 1 linear segment 34.1-59.1 no head-tail 50 nm diameter head, 150 nm long tail bacteria
312 Plasmaviridae 1 1 dsDNA 1 circular segment 11.9-12.0 yes pleomorphic, mostly spherical 50-125 nm diameter bacteria Plasmaviridae
313 Plectroviridae 4 6 ssDNA(+) 1 circular segment 4.4-8.3 no rod-shaped 10-16 nm diameter, 70-280 nm long bacteria Plectroviridae
314 Pleolipoviridae 3 17 ssDNA; ssDNA(+/-); dsDNA 1 circular segment, or 1 linear segment 7.0-17.0 yes pleomorphic or pseudo-spherical 40-70 nm diameter archaea Pleolipoviridae
315 Pneumoviridae 2 5 ssRNA(-) 1 linear segment 13.3-15.3 yes pleomorphic, filamentous or spherical 70-90 nm diameter and >2000 nm long, or 80-600 nm diameter vertebrates Pneumoviridae
316 Polycipiviridae 3 14 ssRNA(+) 1 linear segment 10.3-12.2 no icosahedral 33 nm diameter invertebrates Polycipiviridae
317 Polydnaviriformidae 2 53 dsDNA uncertain uncertain yes ellipsoid 250 nm diameter, 200-900 nm long invertebrates
318 Polymycoviridae 3 28 dsRNA 4-8 linear segments 7.4-12.3 no filamentous or unconventional 12 nm diameter, ‚âß1000 nm long fungi Polymycoviridae
319 Polyomaviridae 8 122 dsDNA 1 circular segment 3.9-7.4 no icosahedral 40-45 nm diameter vertebrates Polyomaviridae
320 Pootjesviridae 5 11 dsDNA 1 linear segment 143.3-158.6 no head-tail 84-90 nm diameter head, 80-140 nm long tail bacteria
321 Portogloboviridae 1 2 dsDNA 1 circular segment 20.2-20.5 no icosahedral 90 nm diameter archaea Portogloboviridae
322 Pospiviroidae 5 40 ssRNA 1 circular segment 0.2-0.4 capsidless plants Pospiviroidae
323 Potyliviridae 1 2 ssRNA(+) 1 linearsegment 7.4-7.9 predicted filamentous fungi
324 Potyviridae 13 264 ssRNA(+) 1-2 linear segments 8.1-11.7 no filamentous 11-20 nm diameter, 650-950 nm long plants Potyviridae
325 Poxviridae 22 56 dsDNA 1 linear segment 127.8-359.9 yes oval or brick-shaped 220-450 nm long x 140-260 nm wide x 140-260 nm high invertebrates, vertebrates Poxviridae
326 Pseudototiviridae 4 46 dsRNA 1 linear segment 4.6-6.3 no icosahedral 30-45 nm diameter protists, fungi, vertebrates
327 Pseudoviridae 3 33 ssRNA-RT 2 identical linear segments 4.6-21.9 no spherical or ovoid 20-40 nm diameter protists, fungi, plants, invertebrates Pseudoviridae
328 Pungoviridae 1 1 dsDNA 1 linear segment 37.0-37.1 no head-tail 60 nm diameter head, 125 nm long tail archaea
329 Pyrstoviridae 2 2 dsDNA 1 linear segment 40.4-42.3 no head-tail 50 nm diameter head, 60 nm long tail archaea Pyrstoviridae
330 Qinviridae 1 8 ssRNA(-) 2 linear segments 7.3-8.3 invertebrates Qinviridae
331 Quadriviridae 1 3 dsRNA 4 linear segments 16.8-17.6 no icosahedral 48 nm diameter fungi Quadriviridae
332 Quambiviridae 1 4 ssRNA(+/-) 1 circular segment 4.5-5.2 fungi
333 Quasboviridae 1 1 dsDNA 1 linear segment 32.1-32.2 no predicted head-tail archaea
334 Redondoviridae 1 2 ssDNA(+/-) 1 circular segment 3.0-3.1 predicted icosahedral vertebrates Redondoviridae
335 Retroviridae 11 65 ssRNA-RT 2 identical linear segments 2.4-13.3 yes spherical 80-100 nm diameter vertebrates Retroviridae
336 Rhabdoviridae 64 615 ssRNA(-) 1-2 linear segments 9.4-16.7 yes or no bullet-shaped/bacilliform or filamentous 45-100 nm diameter, 100-430 nm long, or variable plants, invertebrates, vertebrates Rhabdoviridae
337 Rhizouliviridae 2 6 ssRNA(+) 1 linear segment 3.2-5.3 predicted capsidless fungi
338 Rhodogtaviriformidae 4 4 dsDNA multisegmented uncertain no oblate, head-tail 45 nm long and 65 nm wide head, 50 nm long tail bacteria
339 Roniviridae 2 4 ssRNA(+) 1 linear segment 26.2-29.2 yes rod-shaped 40-60 nm diameter, 150-200 nm long invertebrates Roniviridae
340 Rountreeviridae 6 39 dsDNA 1 linear segment 16.6-18.9 no head-tail 55 nm diameter head, 27 nm long tail bacteria
341 Rudiviridae 7 17 dsDNA 1 linear segment 20.2-36.5 no filamentous 23-38 nm diameter, 830-900 nm long archaea Rudiviridae
342 Ruviroviridae 1 1 dsDNA 1 linear segment 26.2-26.3 protists
343 Saffermanviridae 5 10 dsDNA 1 linear segment 39.7-44.9 no head-tail 50 nm diameter head, 15 nm long tail bacteria
344 Saladoviridae 1 2 dsDNA 1 linear segment 30.8-34.1 no predicted head-tail archaea
345 Salasmaviridae 13 35 dsDNA 1 linear segment 17.7-29.0 no prolate head-tail 52-54 nm long and 29-45 nm wide head, 30 nm long tail bacteria
346 Saparoviridae 2 2 dsDNA 1 linear segment 52.6-54.3 no head-tail 50-110 nm diameter head, tail variable or unknown archaea Saparoviridae
347 Sarkviridae 5 91 dsDNA 1 linear segment 39.7-44.9 no head-tail 60 nm diameter head, 120 nm long tail bacteria
348 Sarthroviridae 1 1 ssRNA(+) 1 linear segment 0.7-0.9 no icosahedral 15 nm diameter invertebrates Sarthroviridae
349 Satyavativiridae 1 1 dsDNA 1 linear segment 86.9-87.0 no predicted head-tail archaea Satyavativiridae
350 Schitoviridae 73 184 dsDNA 1 linear segment 59.0-79.7 no head-tail 50-70 nm diameter head, 10-40 nm long tail bacteria