[NHCOLL-L:4955] Dermestid cleaning of fish skeletons?

[Kirsten Nicholson]

How long does it normally take for dermestids to clean fish skeletons?  I'm
attempting to publish an article on a technique that I experimented with to
speed this process.  An article by Bemis et al (2004) lends the impression
that fish preparation with his proposed method of first drying the fish
(after skinning and removing internal organs, large muscle masses and
fascia) can take up to months.  I emailed Bemis with no response, and mind
you, I'm a herpetologist, with little experience making fish skeletons.  So
I'm wondering if I'm misinterpreting their article, or if in fact it can
sometimes take a very long time to prep a fish skeleton with dermestids?  I
recognize it may depend on the size of the fish, but for us it didn't take
very long at all (hours).

Thanks for any info you can pass on!

Kirsten

-- 
Kirsten E. Nicholson, Ph.D

Asst. Prof. Biology
Dept. of Biology
217 Brooks Hall
Central Michigan Univ.
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859
989-774-3758

and

Curator of Natural History
Museum of Cultural and Natural History
103 Rowe Hall
Central Michigan University
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859
989-774-3829
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