UC Riverside Nematode Collection (UCRNC)
The University of California Riverside Nematode Collection (UCRNC) was founded by Skip A. Sher in 1953. Currently about 45% of the slide collection and about 70% of the wet collection is from outside North America. The collection includes type and voucher specimens. Today the UCRNC type collection includes over 3,000 slides (about 13,000 types). In addition to types, the collection houses over 35,000 slides (about 213,000 specimens) and maintains over 16,000 vials of wet collections. The slides are kept and maintained by the Department of Nematology. Slides are housed in large fire-resistant safes. The wet material is kept as backup material for slides that are damaged or need to be replaced.
The UCRNC collection has expanded in conjunction with supporting roles in rapidly increasing nematode-worldwide biotic surveys, systematics and phylogenetic research. The taxonomic breadth spans the phylum, but the very large proportion in Tylenchida (special strengths in Tylenchorhynchidae, Pratylenchidae, Hoplolaimidae) and certain Dorylaimida reflect the history of the collection, including the founders’ focus on plant parasitic groups.
The UCRNC is currently creating and updating an online database of its entire collection. The goal is to digitize all the slides with their accompanying data, along with high-quality images and videos, for scientists to use and reference all around the world. The Collection also includes about 1500 SEM (scanning electron micrograph) images. Those images have been included in the online database. The database can be accessed here.
We are also working on updating our teaching materials for worldwide use. Teaching slides are being added to the database continually, and we have created a YouTube channel with pass-through imaging videos of nematodes commonly used in nematology courses. More videos will be added to the channel over time. You can access the YouTube channel here.
The UC Riverside Nematode Collection is a tremendous resource for nematology. We want to make it as useful as possible. Please use it and let us know how it could be made more useful for your teaching and research. If you have questions regarding the teaching collection, or there are nematodes you'd like to see added to our teaching collection, please email Elizabeth Dillman.
The UCRNC is also accepting new acquisitions to the collection. If you would like to send us new specimens, please email Elizabeth Dillman.
The UCRNC is currently led by Dr. Manuel Mundo Ocampo (manuel.mundo@ucr.edu), assisted by Elizabeth Dillman (elizabeth.dillman@ucr.edu).
