^{1University of Florida, Florida Museum of Natural History, Museum Road and Newell Drive, Dickinson Hall, 301, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
2St Vincent’s Centre for Applied Medical Research and Department of Hematology and BM Transplant, St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney; NSW, 2010; Australia
3School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health; UNSW Sydney; NSW, 2010; Australia
4Santa Fe College, Gainesville, Florida, 3000 NW 83 St, Gainesville, FL 32606; USA
5University of Alaska Anchorage, WWAMI, College of Health, 3211 Providence Drive, HSB 301, Anchorage, AK, 99508, USA
6Astrakhan State University, Department of Biology, Shaumyan's Square, Building 1, Astrakhan, 414000, Russia
7Paleontology, Geobiology and Earth Archives Research Centre (PANGEA), School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW, Kensington, NSW, 2052 Australia
8The Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD, UK}

Abstract. Coronaviruses are highly virulent and therefore important human and veterinary pathogens worldwide. This study presents the first natural hierarchical classification of Coronaviridae. We also demonstrate a “one-step” solution to incorporate the principles of binomial (binary) nomenclature into taxonomy of Coronaviridae. We strongly support the complete rejection of the non-taxonomic category “virus” in any future taxonomic study in virology. This will aid future recognition of numerous virus species, particularly in the currently monotypic subgenus Sarbecovirus. Commenting on the nature of SARS-CoV-2, the authors emphasize that no member of the Sarbecovirus clade is an ancestor of this virus, and humans are the only natural known host. 

Key words: Coronaviridae, cladistics, rooted phylogenetic trees, taxonomy, binary nomenclature, generic circumscription, SARS-CoV-2.