Notably, despite the use of both meta-transcriptomic and PCR methods, only nine genome segments (1–5 and 8–11) were obtained from the novel coltivirus—in animal 2-Lishui—and our attempt to recover segments 6, 7, and 12 failed. Details of the genetic features of LSPV are described in Fig. 2b. All recovered segments had the consensus sequences (GAG/AUU/A) at the 5ʹ-terminus and (G/CAGUC) and the 3ʹ-terminus (Fig. 3a), respectively. However, the genome sequences of LSPV were distinct from those of recognized coltiviruses, with <75 per cent aa similarity (Supplementary Table S6). Like other coltiviruses, LSPV Segment 9 also contained two ORFs. However, the sequences adjacent to the UGA stop codon, which are the signal of read-through, were different from known coltiviruses. Notably, however, a similar pattern was observed in SHLV (Fig. 3b), the closest relative of LSPV, that was sampled from ticks in Australia.