The diversity of morphology and lifestyle in the phylum Nematoda is undoubtedly underlain by an even grater diversity of genome structure, organization and content. The 959 nematode genomes initiative (Kumar et al., 2012a; Kumar et al., 2012b) hopes to catalyse the sequencing, assembly, annotation and analysis of as many nematode genomes as is possible, spanning parasites and free-living species, terrestrial, freshwater and marine, and including representatives of all major groups. The number 959 is in essence arbitrary - it happens to be the number of somatic cells in an adult female Caenorhabditis elegans - but the general aim is to coordinate efforts (by putting researchers in contact with others who share the same goals), to advertise activity (by having a community forum for announcement and discussion) and to promote best practice (in data sharing and in data analysis). The last two years have been busy for the genomics of Nematoda, with many new genomes published, and many others underway. The number of genomes published is 17 and rising, and there are approximately 90 others "underway" in one form or another. In terms of C. elegans' development, we are early in our embryogenesis: the 100 cell embryo has only just generated its germline precursor cells, and is in the middle of gastrulation...Recent genome publications include Dictyocaulus viviparus Clade V/Rhabditomorpha, Haemonchus contortus Clade V/Rhabditomorpha, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Clade V/Rhabditomorpha, Meloidogyne floridensis Clade IV/Tylenchomorpha, Globodera pallida Clade IV/Tylenchomorpha, Panagrellus redivivus Clade IV/Tylenchomorpha, Ascaris suum Clade III/Spiruromorpha, Dirofilaria immitis Clade III/Spiruromorpha, Loa loa Clade III/Spiruromorpha, Wuchereria bancrofti Clade III/Spiruromorpha, Romanomermis culicivoraxClade I/Dorylaimia. Most of these recent genomes are from plant and animal parasites, driven by the research communities investigating parasite-host interactions, and the development of vaccines, drugs and nematicides. Less well represented are free-living nematodes, especially the marine free-living nematodes of the non-Rhabditid Chromadoria, and the Enoplia (Clade II). Genomes 'in process' largely reflect the current trend, with many more animal-parasitic Rhabditomorpha and plant-parasitic Tylenchomorpha in the final stages of annotation and release. A concerted effort to sequence all the species of the genus Caenorhabditis has yielded a dozen genomes so far. Access to the new genomes is being driven by WormBase
(http://www.wormbase.org). The 959 nematode genomes site offers access to many genomes for BLAST and other analyses, and the Blaxter lab and collaborators are making the genomes they sequence accessible using the BADGER (Elsworth et al., 2013) genome exploration environment (see
http://www.nematod.es). The 959 nematode genomes site is a wiki, and can be edited by anyone with a login - please request one. Once you have a login you can add your name to those "interested" in a genome being sequenced, announce your genomes, and add links to data analysis and download sites.Elsworth, B., et al (2013). Badger. Bioinformatics. doi: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btt466. Kumar, S., et al (2012a). Toward 959 nematode genomes. Worm, 1, 1-9.Kumar, S., et al (2012b). 959 Nematode Genomes. Nucleic Acids Research, 40, D1295-1300.