Summary of taxonomy changes ratified by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) from the Animal dsRNA and ssRNA(−) Viruses Subcommittee, 2025

Abstract

RNA viruses are ubiquitous in the environment and are important pathogens of humans, animals and plants. In 2024, the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses Animal dsRNA and ssRNA(−) Viruses Subcommittee submitted 18 taxonomic proposals for consideration. These proposals expanded the known virosphere by classifying 9 new genera and 88 species for newly detected virus genomes. Of note, newly established species expand the large family of Rhabdoviridae to 580 species. A new species in the family Arenaviridae includes a virus detected in Antarctic fish with a unique split nucleoprotein ORF. Additionally, four new species were established for historically isolated viruses with previously unsequenced genomes. Furthermore, three species were abolished due to incomplete genome sequence information, and one family was moved from being unassigned in the phylum Negarnaviricota into a subphylum and order. Herein, we summarize the 18 ratified taxonomic proposals and the general features of the current taxonomy, thereby supporting public and animal health responses.