The complete gene of major capsid protein ( MCP) of the recently isolated iridovirus from Rana tigrina was amplif icated using the primers corresponding to the two sides of the frog virus 3 ( FV3) MCP gene and was cloned into the pGEM-T easy vector. The MCP gene of the virus was 1 392 bp in size and had much higher identity to FV3 ( 98% ) , the type species of the genus Ranavirus , than to lympocystis disease virus ( 52% ) , the type species of the genus Lymphocystivirus . Comparison of the MCP sequence here w ith this of other vertebrate iridoviruses showed that the iridovirus examined here was a new member of the genus Ranavirus.