The smallest animal viruses are in the family ___________.

a. Caliciviridae
b. Astroviridae
c. Togaviridae
d. Picornaviridae

Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Understand the question is asking for the family of viruses that contains the smallest animal viruses. This requires knowledge of virus families and their general size ranges.

Step 2: Recall that virus size is often measured by the diameter of the virion, and among animal viruses, some families are known for having particularly small virions.

Step 3: Review the characteristics of each listed family: Caliciviridae, Astroviridae, Togaviridae, and Picornaviridae, focusing on their typical virion sizes.

Step 4: Identify that Picornaviridae are known to be among the smallest animal viruses, with virion sizes around 20-30 nanometers, smaller than the other families listed.

Step 5: Conclude that the family Picornaviridae contains the smallest animal viruses based on their size characteristics.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Virus Classification and Families

Viruses are classified into families based on their genetic material, structure, and replication methods. Each family shares common characteristics such as genome type (RNA or DNA), capsid shape, and host range, which help in identifying and differentiating viruses.

Size Range of Animal Viruses

Animal viruses vary widely in size, typically measured in nanometers. Understanding the relative sizes of different virus families helps in identifying the smallest viruses, which is important for diagnostics and studying virus-host interactions.

Characteristics of Picornaviridae

Picornaviridae is a family of small, non-enveloped RNA viruses known for their tiny size, often around 20-30 nm. This family includes important pathogens like poliovirus and rhinovirus, making it notable as the smallest animal virus family.

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