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 and August 2023, the first changes were made for a number of genera (EPPO RS 2022/207, 2023/177). In February 2024, more changes were made in the EPPO Global Database for species belonging to the following genera:
Genus | EPPO Code | Family |
Banmivirus | 1BANVG | Betaflexviridae |
Sustrivirus | 1SUSVG | Betaflexviridae |
Tralespevirus | 1TRAVG | Tombusviridae |
Mechlorovirus | 1MECVG | Phenuiviridae |
Tenuivirus | 1TENVG | Phenuiviridae |
Orthotospovirus | 1TOSPG | Tospoviridae |
Sources
ICTV website (last consulted 2024-02).
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