What is "polydnavirus"

n. An insect virus of family ''Polydnaviridae'' that integrates itself inside a wasp genome.

A polydnavirus (PDV) is a member of the family Polydnaviridae of insect viruses. There are currently 53 species in this family, divided among 2 genera. Polydnaviruses form a symbiotic relationship with parasitoid wasps (ichnoviruses occur in ichneumonid wasps species and bracoviruses in braconid wasps), but these wasps are themselves parasites of lepidoptera. Little or no sequence homology exists between BV and IV, suggesting that the two genera evolved independently.