The specimens in the U.S. National Parasite Collection (USNPC) were deposited for permanent preservation. They are not available as gifts or on loan for teaching, demonstrations, or student collections. Type specimens are available for study at the U.S. National Parasite Collection in Beltsville, Maryland, and on loan under certain conditions for 60 days, for essential comparisons when the original description of a species is thought to be inaccurate or inadequate. A strong justification is required for risking types, especially the name-bearing specimens, in the mail. Requests for concurrent loan of both holotype and paratypes of a single species are discouraged. Holotype specimens are rarely loaned, and only in extraordinary circumstances. Graduate students requiring specimens for comparative purposes may obtain them through their major professor, who must request, receive, and be responsible for their safekeeping and return. Investigators requesting the loan of type material should indicate in their request the collection number (if known from published descriptions; or from the USNPC webpage), original scientific name of the parasite, author’s name, and date of description. Requestors can search the database from a button at the base of the homepage. Requestors are reminded that the specimens are entered under their original names and records are by class, genus, and species/subspecies for the parasites only. Other groupings such as families cannot be searched. All generic synonyms must be included in requests for specimens.