Genus Bracovirus
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Type Species |
Cotesia melanoscela bracovirus |
(CmBV) |
Distinguishing Features
Bracoviruses are found only in certain species of braconid wasps. Bracovirus nucleocapsids are cylindrical, of variable length, and are surrounded by only a single unit membrane envelope. Bracoviruses encapsidate nucleocapsids either singly or multiply in a species-dependent manner (Fig. 2).
List of Species Demarcation Criteria in the Genus
To experimentally demonstrate that a parasitic wasp carries a brachovirus the following criteria should be met:
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Virions isolated from reproductive tract of females of a brachonid wasp species, |
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Virions have brachovirus morphology having rod-shaped nucleocapsids of variable length, with a diameter of  30 nm surrounded by a double unit membrane, singly or multiply encapsided in the virion, |
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Nucleic acid isolated from virions is DNA from multiple molecules (i.e., the DNA genome is segmented), |
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Reference specimens of the wasp host are identified to species by a qualified brachonid systematic specialist and are deposited in an accessible insect collection. |
Criteria that are thought to be of systematic significance:
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Lepidopteran host range of virus (the non-replicative host), |
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DNA restriction map profiles. |
List of Species in the Genus
Official virus species names are in italics. Tentative virus species names, alternative names ( ), strains or serotypes are not italicized. Virus names and assigned abbreviations ( ) are:
Species in the Genus
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Apanteles crassicornis bracovirus |
(AcBV) |
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Apanteles fumiferanae bracovirus |
(AfBV) |
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Ascogaster argentifrons bracovirus |
(AaBV) |
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Ascogaster quadridentata bracovirus |
(AqBV) |
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Cardiochiles nigriceps bracovirus |
(CnBV) |
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Chelonus altitudinis bracovirus |
(CalBV) |
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Chelonus blackburni bracovirus |
(CbBV) |
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Chelonus nr. curvimaculatus bracovirus |
(CcBV) |
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Chelonus inanitus bracovirus |
(CinaBV) |
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Chelonus insularis bracovirus |
(CinsBV) |
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Chelonus texanus bracovirus |
(CtBV) |
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Cotesia congregata bracovirus |
(CcBV) |
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Cotesia flavipes bracovirus |
(CfBV) |
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Cotesia glomerata bracovirus |
(CgBV) |
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Cotesia hyphantriae bracovirus |
(ChBV) |
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Cotesia kariyai bracovirus |
(CkBV) |
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Cotesia marginiventris bracovirus |
(CmaBV) |
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Cotesia melanoscela bracovirus |
(CmeBV) |
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Cotesia rubecula bracovirus |
(CrBV) |
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Cotesia schaeferi bracovirus |
(CsBV) |
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Diolcogaster facetosa bracovirus |
(DfBV) |
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Glyptapanteles flavicoxis bracovirus |
(GflBV) |
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Glyptapanteles indiensis bracovirus |
(GiBV) |
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Glyptapanteles liparidis bracovirus |
(GlBV) |
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Hypomicrogaster canadensis bracovirus |
(HcBV) |
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Hypomicrogaster ectdytolophae bracovirus |
(HecBV) |
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Microplitis croceipes bracovirus |
(McBV) |
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Microplitis demolitor bracovirus |
(MdBV) |
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Phanerotoma flavitestacea bracovirus |
(PfBV) |
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Pholetesor ornigis bracovirus |
(PoBV) |
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Protapanteles paleacritae bracovirus |
(PpBV) |
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Tranosema rostrale bracovirus |
(TrBV) |
Tentative Species in the Genus
None reported.
List of Unassigned Viruses in the Family
None reported.
Phylogenetic Relationships within the Family
The members of the genera Bracovirus and Ichnovirus are unrelated by serological and hybridization analyses. Nucleic acid homology between the two polydnavirus genera has not been reported. Within the genera hybridization between closely related viral species is evident although segment profiles and the strength of hybridization signals suggest that considerable divergence has occurred within these genera.
Similarity with Other Taxa
Occasionally, very long Bracovirus nucleocapsids are observed; at least superficially, these resemble baculovirus nucleocapsids. Ichnoviruses resemble no other known type of virus.
Derivation of Names
Braco: from Braconidae, a family of wasps.
Ichno: from Ichneumonidae, a family of wasps.
Polydna: from poly (meaning several), and DNA.
