The taxonomy of herpesviruses has been updated by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV). The former family Herpesviridae has been split into three families, which have been incorporated into the new order Herpesvirales. The revised family Herpesviridae retains the mammal, bird and reptile viruses, the new family Alloherpesviridae incorporates the fish and frog viruses, and the new family Malacoherpesviridae contains a bivalve virus. Three new genera have been created in the family Herpesviridae, namely Proboscivirus in the subfamily Betaherpesvirinae and Macavirus and Percavirus in the subfamily Gammaherpesvirinae. These genera have been formed by the transfer of species from established genera and the erection of new species, and other new species have been added to some of the established genera. In addition, the names of some nonhuman primate virus species have been changed. The family Alloherpesviridae has been populated by transfer of the genus Ictalurivirus and the addition of the new species Cyprinid herpesvirus 3. The family Malacoherpesviridae incorporates the new genus Ostreavirus containing the new species Ostreid herpesvirus 1. The classification of herpesviruses has been updated as a result of recommendations made to the ICTV by the Herpesviridae Study Group. The purpose of this report is to convey the taxonomic changes. Herpesviruses are distinct in morphology, with a linear, double-stranded DNA genome of 125–290 kbp contained within a T = 16 icosahedral capsid, surrounded by a proteinaceous matrix and a lipid envelope. Genetically, herpesviruses fall into three distinct groupings that are related only tenuously to each other. These groupings consist of viruses of mammals, birds and reptiles, viruses of fish and frogs, and a single virus of bivalves. The taxonomic outcome of the apparently large genetic distances among the groupings is that the former family Herpesviridae has now been divided into three families that comprise the new order Herpesvirales. The revised family Herpesviridae retains the viruses of mammals, birds and reptiles, the new family Alloherpesviridae incorporates the fish and frog viruses, and the new family Malacoherpesviridae contains the bivalve virus. The revised classification is shown in Table 1. Three new genera have been created in the family Herpesviridae. One is the genus Proboscivirus, which recognizes a distinct lineage of the subfamily Betaherpesvirinae containing the new species Elephantid herpesvirus 1. The others are the genera Macavirus and Percavirus, which form two lineages in the subThe taxonomy of herpesviruses has been updated by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV). The former family Herpesviridae has been split into three families, which have been incorporated into the new order Herpesvirales. The revised family Herpesviridae retains the mammal, bird and reptile viruses, the new family Alloherpesviridae incorporates the fish and frog viruses, and the new family Malacoherpesviridae contains a bivalve virus. Three new genera have been created in the family Herpesviridae, namely Proboscivirus in the subfamily Betaherpesvirinae and Macavirus and Percavirus in the subfamily Gammaherpesvirinae. These genera have been formed by the transfer of species from established genera and the erection of new species, and other new species have been added to some of the established genera. In addition, the names of some nonhuman primate virus species have been changed. The family Alloherpesviridae has been populated by transfer of the genus Ictalurivirus and the addition of the new species Cyprinid herpesvirus 3. The family Malacoherpesviridae incorporates the new genus Ostreavirus containing the new species Ostreid herpesvirus 1. The classification of herpesviruses has been updated as a result of recommendations made to the ICTV by the Herpesviridae Study Group. The purpose of this report is to convey the taxonomic changes. Herpesviruses are distinct in morphology, with a linear, double-stranded DNA genome of 125–290 kbp contained within a T = 16 icosahedral capsid, surrounded by a proteinaceous matrix and a lipid envelope. Genetically, herpesviruses fall into three distinct groupings that are related only tenuously to each other. These groupings consist of viruses of mammals, birds and reptiles, viruses of fish and frogs, and a single virus of bivalves. The taxonomic outcome of the apparently large genetic distances among the groupings is that the former family Herpesviridae has now been divided into three families that comprise the new order Herpesvirales. The revised family Herpesviridae retains the viruses of mammals, birds and reptiles, the new family Alloherpesviridae incorporates the fish and frog viruses, and the new family Malacoherpesviridae contains the bivalve virus. The revised classification is shown in Table 1. Three new genera have been created in the family Herpesviridae. One is the genus Proboscivirus, which recognizes a distinct lineage of the subfamily Betaherpesvirinae containing the new species Elephantid herpesvirus 1. The others are the genera Macavirus and Percavirus, which form two lineages in the sub