EPPO Global Database

EPPO Reporting Service no. 08 - 2023 Num. article: 2023/177

Binomial nomenclature for virus species (continued)


For many years, proposals to use binomial names to name virus species have been debated among the virology community. In 2021, the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) approved a uniform system of formal virus names which follows the binomial 'genus-species' format with or without Latinized species epithets. For example, the virus species which is causing rose rosette is now called emaravirus rosae. This new rule is being implemented and new names are gradually being proposed by ICTV.


As a user of taxonomy, the EPPO Secretariat has started to implement these changes for virus names (mainly plant viruses) in the EPPO Global Database. In October 2022, the first changes were made for a number of genera (EPPO RS 2022/207). In August 2023, changes were made in the EPPO Global Database for species belonging to the following genera:


Genus

EPPO Code

Family

Amalgavirus

1AMALG

Amalgaviridae

Temfrudevirus

1TEMVG

Amesuviridae

Badnavirus

1BADNG

Caulimoviridae

Caulimovirus

1CAULG

Caulimoviridae

Cavemovirus

1CAVVG

Caulimoviridae

Petuvirus

1PETUG

Caulimoviridae

Rosadnavirus

1ROSDG

Caulimoviridae

Ruflodivirus

1RUFVG

Caulimoviridae

Solendovirus

1SOLDG

Caulimoviridae

Soymovirus

1SOYMG

Caulimoviridae

Tungrovirus

1TUNVG

Caulimoviridae

Vaccinivirus

1VACVG

Caulimoviridae

Blunervirus

1BLUVG

Kitaviridae

Higrevirus

1HIGVG

Kitaviridae

Coguvirus

1COGUG

Phenuiviridae

Rubodvirus

1RUBVG

Phenuiviridae

Tenuivirus

1TENVG

Phenuiviridae

Cheravirus

1CHEVG

Secoviridae

Comovirus

1COMOG

Secoviridae

Fabavirus

1FABAG

Secoviridae

Nepovirus

1NEPOG

Secoviridae

Sadwavirus

1SADWG

Secoviridae

Sequivirus

1SEQUG

Secoviridae

Stralarivirus

1STRVG

Secoviridae

Torradovirus

1TORVG

Secoviridae

Waikavirus

1WAIKG

Secoviridae

Alphacarmovirus

1ACAVG

Tombusviridae

Alphanecrovirus

1ANCVG

Tombusviridae

Aureusvirus

1AURVG

Tombusviridae

Avenavirus

1AVEVG

Tombusviridae

Betacarmovirus

1BCAVG

Tombusviridae

Betanecrovirus

1BNCVG

Tombusviridae

Dianthovirus

1DIANG

Tombusviridae

Gallantivirus

1GALVG

Tombusviridae

Gammacarmovirus

1GCAVG

Tombusviridae

Luteovirus

1LUTEG

Tombusviridae

Macanavirus

1MANVG

Tombusviridae

Machlomovirus

1MCHLG

Tombusviridae

Panicovirus

1PANVG

Tombusviridae

Pelarspovirus

1PELVG

Tombusviridae

Tombusvirus

1TOMBG

Tombusviridae

Umbravirus

1UMBRG

Tombusviridae

Zeavirus

1ZEAVG

Tombusviridae

Marafivirus

1MARFG

Tymoviridae

Tymovirus

1TYMOG

Tymoviridae


Sources

ICTV website (last consulted 2023-07).

The master species list: https://ictv.global/msl

Virus metadata resource: https://ictv.global/vmr


Useful papers

Kuhn JH 2021) Virus Taxonomy. Encyclopedia of Virology, 28–37. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7157452/pdf/main.pdf

Siddell SG, Walker PJ, Lefkowitz EJ et al. (2020) Binomial nomenclature for virus species: a consultation. Archives of Virology 165, 519–525. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-019-04477-6

Walker PJ et al. (2022) Changes to virus taxonomy and to the International Code of Virus Classification and Nomenclature ratified by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (2021). Archives of Virology 166, 2633–2648. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-021-05156-1

Walker PJ et al. (2022) Recent changes to virus taxonomy ratified by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. Archives of Virology 167, 2429–2440. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-022-05516-5