Shrimp iridescent virus disease is an acute and infectious disease that has widely broken out in crustaceans in China in recent years. Its pathogen is Decapoda iridescent virus 1 (DIV1) that belongs to a new genus Decapodiridovirus of family Iridoriridae. The DIV1 has a high transmission risk, wide host range, and extensive mortality, leading to serious economic losses in cultured shrimp in China. Some research has been reported on the etiology, pathology, epidemiology, detection and diagnosis of shrimp iridescent disease, but little is known about the molecular mechanism of viral infection and the host responses to DIV1. Here, we provided an overview of the latest research progresses on the discovery, classification status, morphological characteristics. and chemical composition and physicochemical properties of DIV1, and introduced the genomic information, pathogenicity, host ranges, route of transmission, detection and diagnostic technology, as well as the shrimp's responses. The disease prevention and control strategies and future studies on Decapoda iridescent virus 1 were also suggested. This information will promote understanding of the pathogenic mechanism of DIV1, which will benefit virological research and the effective control of shrimp iridescent virus disease.