H.W. Manter Laboratory

H.W. Manter Laboratory Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology, University of Nebraska State Museum, Lincoln, Nebraska

Conduct and support research in parasite systematics and taxonomy with current emphasis on parasites of mammals. The current emphasis in the Manter Laboratory is on the helminth parasites of mammals of the Nearctic and Neotropical regions stressing studies of the phylogeny and diversity of parasites of Rodentia, Marsupialia, Xenarthra, and Chiroptera. Foster Studies in Parasite Biodiversity
The Ma

nter Laboratory maintains one of the largest and most active collections of parasites in the world. The laboratory is one of only three national resource centers for parasitology. We support research on parasites in the fields of biodiversity, systematics, and taxonomy. We loan and archive specimens and generate images for researchers to use both on-site and remotely. Our database is fully available for searching over the Internet [http://hwml.unl.edu]
Provide State of the Art Laboratory Facilities for Research, Long-term Conservation, Study, Data Capture, and Utilization of Specimens of Parasites
Studies on parasites in the HWML are facilitated by equipment that includes differential interference contrast, phase contrast, and bright field microscopy. Advanced morphometric/morphological studies of parasites are conducted with both color-digital and monochrome and color video cameras image-analysis and imaging software. Scanning Electron Microscopy is also available on the UNL campus. Facilitate Training and Research in Parasite Systematics
Students from Nebraska, the USA, and world-wide are supported by travel, visitation, and research grants to study parasites from the Manter Laboratory. Limited funds are available for visiting scientists from the several Manter Laboratory Endowments. Graduate students are supported by the School of Biological Sciences, The University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and by grants. Undergraduate students are supported with Research Experiences for Undergraduate funding from the National Science Foundation. Collect, Archive, and Distribute Literature on Parasite Systematics and Taxonomy World-Wide
The Manter Laboratory serves as the Archive Site for the American Society of Parasitologists. The Manter Laboratory also archives and houses an increasingly valuable set of taxonomic references that are used in the identification, diagnosis, and description of parasites obtained from global biological diversity surveys.

Back at the station after a full-day in the field searching for hosts with parasites. A typical evening sky looking NW, ...
08/15/2026

Back at the station after a full-day in the field searching for hosts with parasites. A typical evening sky looking NW, over lake Ogallala (former Keystone lake).

We made it through another summer of Field Parasitology at Cedar Point Biological Station! It was grueling, it was hot, ...
08/15/2026

We made it through another summer of Field Parasitology at Cedar Point Biological Station! It was grueling, it was hot, and it was super amazing!
Our first week was exploration and collecting of hosts and parasites. We visited the Wilson ranch at the former Arapaho Prairie to set Sherman traps and collect snails from the cattle tanks. Most of the area had burned in the spring, so there was a low density of mammals. Here are some of the images from this area. Very dry now out there.

Frogging at Breens Flyway!
08/08/2026

Frogging at Breens Flyway!

Some interesting insect parasitic nematodes showed up. We will be figuring out what they are in the next months. Complic...
08/08/2026

Some interesting insect parasitic nematodes showed up. We will be figuring out what they are in the next months. Complicated!

End of week in Field Parasitology! Trichuris from kangaroo rats, D. ordii from the Sandhills north of Ogallala. Lots of ...
08/08/2026

End of week in Field Parasitology! Trichuris from kangaroo rats, D. ordii from the Sandhills north of Ogallala. Lots of specimens in liquid nitrogen for future sequencing work!

Some shots from the field!
08/06/2026

Some shots from the field!

08/06/2026

We are halfway through the Field Parasitology course now! The students are working on topics ranging from parasites of grasshoppers to parasites of pocket gophers to parasitic flies that cause galls to form on our beloved goldenrod.

07/18/2026

Prepping for FIELD PARASITOLOGY starting 27 July, 2026!!!

-We will try to keep some posts going as the class proceeds
-Our class is full this summer!
-We will be looking at parasites in the field.

*The students will be studying parasites ranging from larval trematodes in snails to mites living on damselflies.

*The book we will use is: CIAP - Concepts in Animal Parasitology
GARDNER and GARDNER (Final version just released).

Concepts in Animal Parasitology is an open-access textbook covering parasite biology, systematics, taxonomy, zoogeography, and ecology, aimed at upper-level undergraduate and graduate students with basic biology knowledge. The 2026 Pressbooks version updates the 2024 Zea Books edition and is freely available online.

Go here to read the book: https://pressbooks.nebraska.edu/ciap/

Note that the pressbooks version scales to whatever view the user is reading with (phone to computer screen!).

Scott

Address

W529 Nebraska Hall, University Of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE
68588

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

402-472-3334

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