Color enhanced transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of numbers of Nodamura virus virions (orange). At its core, the Nodamura virus possesses a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus (ssRNA) genome. Its outer protein coat, or "capsid", is icosahedral (T=3) in shape, which means that its composed of 32 equilateral, triangular facets. This virus is a member of the virus family, Nodaviridae, and the genus, Alphanodavirus. It was originally isolated from mosquito inhabitants from Nodamura, Japan, and has since been identified in several other insects and ticks. Though it causes no arthropodal symptoms, it can be transmitted to suckling mice through the bite of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, and in this case, is a lethal pathogen.