 |
The Waite Insect and Nematode Collection (WINC) was formed in early 2001
by the merger of Adelaide University’s Duncan Swan Insect Collection
(WARI), the Waite Institute Nematode Collection (WINC), and the South
Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) insect collection,
and is housed at the Waite Campus of Adelaide University.
The combined collection contains in excess of 500,000 insect and other
arthropod specimens that are dry mounted, in spirit, or on slides. It
is extensively used by staff and postgraduate students to undertake identifications
and as a source of biological and distributional information. A significant
number of paratype specimens are held, but all holotypes are lodged in
the National Collection in Canberra (ANIC).
Notable holdings of particular importance to taxonomic research include
collections of larvae and other immature stages of groups injurious to
plants, acridid grasshoppers and scarabaeid beetles. In addition there
are significant collections of Acarina, Araneae, Thysanoptera, Homoptera
(chiefly Psylloidea and Coccoidea), Lepidoptera and parasitic Hymenoptera.
The collection also houses the largest collection of plant, soil and
entomophilic nematodes in Australia, and is currently the largest world
collection of endemic Australian plant and soil nematodes. It contains
approximately 25,000 glass slides with nematodes mounted in glycerol,
as well as 300 vials of unsorted fixed material. As well as valuable reference
material, the collection is an important resource for studies of biodiversity
and distribution of nematodes, including materials from collection sites
around Australia from both agricultural and natural habitats. The mounted
nematodes comprise an older plant parasitic component, to which have been
added large numbers of dorylaimid, mononchid and entomophilic nematodes.
The collection is a basic resource essential for all nematological research
work: it contains voucher material from numerous field workers including
plant breeders, for diagnostic work and quarantine, as well as some type
material. |
 |