2024 taxonomic update for the families Naryaviridae, Nenyaviridae, and Vilyaviridae

The families Naryaviridae (order Rivendellvirales), Nenyaviridae (order Rohanvirales), and Vilyaviridae (order Cirlivirales), all within the class Arfiviricetes of the phylum Cressdnaviricota, include single-stranded DNA viruses associated with protozoan parasites of the genera Entamoeba and Giardia as well as viruses found in various environmental samples, also likely infecting protozoans. Here, we provide a taxonomic update for these three families, which were recently expanded with multiple new members. In particular, we established seven new genera and nine new species in the family Naryaviridae, one new genus with one new species in the family Nenyaviridae, and three new genera and nine new species in the family Vilyaviridae. We also summarize the genomic properties and protein characteristics, including conserved motifs of the rolling-circle replication initiation proteins, of the viruses in the three families. Notably, the high GC content of vilyavirids (51–61%) and considerably lower GC content of naryavirids and nenyavirids (33–44%) appear to represent an adaptation to their hosts, Giardia and Entamoeba species, respectively.