For permanent mounts, Euparal or Euparal Vert gives clear preparations that
do not turn yellow and if necessary can be dissolved with absolute alcohol.
Use of organic solvents is not necessary, at least for small specimens (I use
it for polychaetes). The preparation or worm to be mounted should be
dehydrated as completely as possible and mounted in a small drop of the
mountant. Once dehydrated and mounted, polychaete specimens that have
been LIGHTLY stained with Shirlastain A (to make it easier to see surface
structures suchas papillae) will retain the stain permanently, whereas it
disappears in a few hours or days in alcohol.
For truly temporary mounts of an hour or so (e.g., for making a drawing) I
simply put tiny clay corners on a coverslip and use alcohol, adding a drop or
two of alcohol as necessary. Obviously, this is not a slide one leaves for a
longer period of time.
Mary E. Petersen
Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen
Tel +45-35 32 10 67 - Fax +45-35 32 10 10
E-mail: mepetersen at zmuc.ku.dk
>ooooooooo))))):>
-----Original Message-----
I am starting a baseline survey of the benthic invertebrates of Lough Corrib,
Ireland, and I am looking for the most effective way of making temporary and
permanent mounts of oligochaetes. I had been using lactophenol but am
looking for an alternative. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,
Bridget Keane
Zoology Dept.,Aras de Brun, NUIGalway, Ireland.
<bridget.keane at NUIGALWAY.IE>
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