Question

My question is what is the correct way of introducing new names in a publication for them to be considered valid. Should they be introduced e.g. as simply new genus Xxxxxvirus or should they be supplied with an explicit "tax.nov.": Xxxxxvirus gen. nov.. Are quotation marks needed around names indicating that they are not yet accepted? Should there be any other indication that they are not yet accepted?

Answer 1

Introduce new virus names by adding 'gen. nov.' for a new genus or 'sp. nov.' for a new species, and italicize the names. Use this format without quotation marks unless indicating a proposed name.

Step-by-step explanation:

When introducing new names for viruses in a publication, the established protocol by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) should be followed to ensure that the names are considered valid. An indication that a name is new includes adding gen. nov. for a new genus or sp. nov. for a new species. For instance, when introducing a new genus, it should be formatted as Xxxxxvirus gen. nov.. Quotation marks are not typically required around the names unless they are used in a context that specifically indicates they are hypothetical or proposed and not yet accepted. The names should be italicized to conform with the nomenclatural standards for taxa, simliar to the binomial nomenclature system developed by Linnaeus that uses a two-part naming structure, the genus name followed by the species name.