Abolishment of morphology-based taxa and change to binomial species names: 2022 taxonomy update of the ICTV bacterial viruses subcommittee

This article summarises the activities of the Bacterial Viruses Subcommittee of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses for the period of March 2021-March 2022. We provide an overview of the new taxa proposed in 2021, approved by the Executive Committee, and ratified by vote in 2022. Significant changes to the taxonomy of bacterial viruses were introduced: the paraphyletic morphological families Podoviridae, Siphoviridae, and Myoviridae as well as the order Caudovirales were abolished, and a binomial system of nomenclature for species was established. In addition, one order, 22 families, 30 subfamilies, 321 genera, and 862 species were newly created, promoted, or moved.

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This article summarizes the activities of the Bacterial Viruses Subcommittee of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses from March 2021 to March 2022. It provides an overview of the new classifications proposed in 2021, approved by the Executive Committee, and ratified by vote in 2022. The taxonomy of bacterial viruses underwent significant changes, including the abolition of the paraphyletic morphological families Podoviridae, Siphoviridae, and Myoviridae, as well as the order Caudovirales, and the establishment of a binomial nomenclature system for species. Additionally, one order, 22 families, 30 subfamilies, 321 genera, and 862 species were newly created, promoted, or moved.