Changes to virus taxonomy, the international code of virus classification and nomenclature, and the ICTV statutes ratified by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (2025)

Abstract

<p>The 56th meeting of the Executive Committee (EC) of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) was held in Bari, Italy, in July/August, 2024, and 115 submitted taxonomy proposals were reviewed. A total of 112 were subsequently ratified by the ICTV membership. An additional 9 error correction proposals were also approved in August 2025. This article lists the taxonomy proposals that have now been incorporated into release 40 version v2 of the Master Species List (https://ictv.global/msl), the Virus Metadata Resource (https://ictv.global/vmr), and associated ICTV databases. In addition to the assignments of 1,563 new virus species, 243genera, 55 families, 11 orders, and 8 classes, there were substantial additions to higher taxonomic ranks. These include the creation of a new realm (Singelaviria), which is based on the recognition of a separate evolutionary origin for the hallmark capsid genes of members of the kingdom Helvetiavirae. These express capsid proteins forming a single jelly-roll fold that is structurally and evolutionarily distinct from those of members of the family Bamfordvirae, assigned to the realm Varidnaviria. Furthermore, the realm Varidnaviria underwent a major reorganization, including the addition of a new kingdom, Abadenavirae. Another notable change was the classification of the vertebrate-infecting single-stranded DNA anellovirids into a new phylum Commensaviricota (kingdom Shotokuvirae, realm Monodnaviria). Archaeal viruses infecting the hyperthermophilic Archaeoglobi were assigned to a new phylum Calorviricota, in the kingdom Trapavirae (realm Monodnaviria), whereas RNA viruses infecting hyperthermophilic bacteria were classified into a new phylum Artimaviricota (realm Riboviria). In recognition of his extensive and valuable contributions to virus taxonomic developments in Study Groups and over the period of his EC membership, Stuart Siddell was honoured as a new life member of the ICTV. The ICTV has created a new strategy for disseminating information on taxonomy advances through annual open-access publication of citeable taxonomy proposal summaries from each ICTV Subcommittee. A collective total of 354 co-authors of the seven summaries were drawn from members of each Subcommittee, the EC, and a very large number of contributors from the wider virology community.<br></p>