The collection of parasitic worms at the Helminthological Museum of the Center for Parasitology, IEE RAS, is the largest in Russia. It was founded in 1945 on the initiative of Academician K.I. Skryabin. Information about the collection is included in the international reference «Guide to Parasitological Collections of the World» (1982).
In 1994, the collection was granted national status and registered with the All-Russian Parasitological Society. This allows it to accept type specimens of new parasite species for storage, granting the right to publish information about them and to conduct further research. In 1999, the museum was granted the status of an independent unit.
Today the collection includes:
- More than 4,000 species of animal and plant parasites.
- Over 300,000 storage units.
- Representatives of 6 classes: cestodes, trematodes, acanthocephalans, nematodes, monogeneans, and protozoa.
All data on the preparations have been entered into a database. A 4-volume catalog of type specimens has been published, containing information on 762 type species. Voucher specimens number more than 10,000 storage units.