Candidate new rotavirus species in Schreiber's bats, Serbia

•Viral metagenomic analysis identified numerous eukaryotic viruses in bat guano.•Whole genome sequencing was performed to characterize a novel rotavirus strain.•This novel rotavirus strain likely represents a new rotavirus species, provisionally named Rotavirus J.

The genus Rotavirus comprises eight species designated A to H and one tentative species, Rotavirus I. In a virus metagenomic analysis of Schreiber's bats sampled in Serbia in 2014 we obtained sequences likely representing novel rotavirus species. Whole genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis classified the representative strain into a tentative tenth rotavirus species, we provisionally called Rotavirus J. The novel virus shared a maximum of 50% amino acid sequence identity within the VP6 gene to currently known members of the genus. This study extends our understanding of the genetic diversity of rotaviruses in bats.