What is "pithovirus"

n. Any of the genus ''Pithovirus'' of giant viruses known from one species, (taxlink Pithovirus sibericum species noshow=1), which infects amoebas(cite journal last=Yong first=Ed doi=10.1038/nature.2014.14801 title=Giant virus resurrected from 30,000-year-old ice : Nature News & Comment journal=Nature date=3 March 2014 ) (cite news first=Rebecca last=Morelle title=30,000-year-old giant virus 'comes back to life' date=3 March 2014 url=http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-26387276 work=BBC News ).

Pithovirus, first described in a 2014 paper, is a genus of giant virus known from one species, Pithovirus sibericum, which infects amoebas. It is a double-stranded DNA virus, and is a member of the nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses clade. The 2014 discovery was made when a viable specimen was found in a 30,000-year-old ice core harvested from permafrost in Siberia, Russia.