The family Iridoviridae is comprised of four genera, two infecting vertebrates and two infecting invertebrates.
|
Genus |
Vernacular name |
Host species |
Type species |
|
Iridovirus |
Small iridescent insect virus |
Invertebrates (mainly insects) |
Chilo iridescent virus (IV6) |
|
Chloriridovirus |
Large iridescent insect viruses |
Mosquitos |
Mosquito iridescent virus (IV3) |
|
Lymphocystivirus |
Lymphocystis disease virus |
Fish |
Lymphocystivirus type 1 (LCDV-1) |
|
Ranavirus |
Frog virus |
Amphibia |
Frog Virus 3 (FV3) |
The current ICTV list of recognised Iridoviridae members contains much redundant data. The wide host range displayed by members of this family has resulted in isolates of a single virus species being described and named more than once because of their isolation from different hosts. The host of isolation also confuses taxonomy within the family with recently identified fish iridoviruses seemingly more related to ranaviruses than to lymphocystiviruses. The pitfalls in iridovirus taxonomy are only just beginning to be addressed using molecular techniques.
Representation of the homologies between invertebrate iridovirus major capsid genes highlighting the region used for phylogenetic analysis. Bars represent the major capsid proteins from each virus with greyscales ranging from black for 100% homology to the CzIV protein to white for 0% homology.
For example, the PCR amplification and sequencing of a 500 bp fragment of the major capsid protein gene from a number of invertebrate iridoviruses suggests the genus Iridovirus can be further divided into three groups.
Phylogenetic tree of the genus Iridovirus based on partial MCP sequence
Countries of virus isolation
|
Virus |
Genus |
Host |
Country of isolation |
|
TIV (IV1) |
Iridovirus |
crane fly |
England |
|
SIV (IV2) |
Iridovirus |
scareb grub |
Australia |
|
CIV (IV6) |
Iridovirus |
rice stem borer |
Japan |
|
WIV (IV9) |
Iridovirus |
porina caterpillar |
New Zealand |
|
CzIV (IV16) |
Iridovirus |
grass grub |
New Zealand |
|
IV22 |
Iridovirus |
black fly |
Wales |
|
BbIV (IV23) |
Iridovirus |
black beetle |
South Africa |
|
IV24 (AIV) |
Iridovirus |
honey bee |
India |
|
IV29 |
Iridovirus |
meal worm |
USA |
|
IV30 |
Iridovirus |
corn earworm |
USA |
|
IV31 |
Iridovirus |
woodlice |
USA |
|
AgIV |
Iridovirus |
Velvetbean caterpillar |
Argentina |
|
PjIV |
Iridovirus |
Japanese beetle |
Azores |
|
LCDV-1 |
Lymphocystivirus |
flounder |
World wide |