Species taxa are the units of taxonomy most suited to measure virus diversity, and they account for more than 70% of all virus taxa. Yet, as evidenced by the content of GenBank entries and illustrated by the recent literature on SARS-CoV-2, they are the most neglected taxa of virus research. To correct this disparity, we propose to make species taxa a first choice for communicating virus taxonomy in publications concerning viruses. We see it as a key step toward promoting research on diverse viruses, including pathogens, at this fundamental level of biology.
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CITATION STYLE
Gorbalenyai, A. E., & Siddell, S. G. (2021). Recognizing species as a new focus of virus research. PLoS Pathogens, 17(3). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1009318