CDFA Nematode Collection

The nematode slide collection of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA Permanent Slide Reference Collection) includes 1,675 slides containing approximately 12,000 specimens in 60 genera and over 200 species. The major nematode orders represented in the collection are Tylenchida, Aphelenchida, and Dorylaimida (plant parasitic nematode species mostly). It also includes a few specimens in Rhabditida and Mononchida. Each slide is catalogued or recorded using the following steps: 1. labeling the slides, 2. numbering the slides, 3. stamping the slides with “CDFA-NEMA” and, 4. recording the information on card file and electronic database.

The collection comprises largely of specimens collected by nematologists from samples processed and analyzed in the Laboratory, as well as, some permanently mounted specimens purchased from external sources. The collection is used mainly as in-house reference material to assist CDFA scientists in the identification of nematodes. No type material is maintained in the collection.