[Nhcoll-l] Small herps in ETOH

[Julian Carter]

Hi Tonya,

I'd simply move to 70% ethanol to balance preservation versus dehydration effects. I don't see any value taking the specimens back to aqueous formaldehyde ('formalin') once they have been preserved in this way. Ethanol can be treated as a 'pseudofixative' due to the way it dehydrates tissues and subsequently alter protein arrangements.

All the best

Jules

Prif Gadwraethydd, Gwyddorau Naturiol
Principal Conservator Natural Sciences
julian.carter at amgueddfacymru.ac.uk<mailto:julian.carter at amgueddfacymru.ac.uk>
julian.carter at museumwales.ac.uk<mailto:julian.carter at museumwales.ac.uk>
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Julian_Carter
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07870448074

From: Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Simon Moore
Sent: 13 December 2018 08:57
To: Tonya.Haff at csiro.au
Cc: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Small herps in ETOH

Hi Tonya,

You should be OK to inject the specimens with formalin. Might need to take them down a short hydration ladder to water, then fix overnight (and inject) before taking them back up again into preserving EtOH.  I always maintain a few small tanks for 'intermediate alcohols' for this purpose as it helps to reduce the effect of syneresis (osmotic shrivelling).

With all good wishes, Simon.

Simon Moore MIScT, RSci, FLS, ACR
Conservator of Natural Sciences and Cutlery Historian,

[cid:image001.png at 01D492CB.5397CA20]

www.natural-history-conservation.com<http://www.natural-history-conservation.com>




On 13 Dec 2018, at 03:56, <Tonya.Haff at csiro.au<mailto:Tonya.Haff at csiro.au>> <Tonya.Haff at csiro.au<mailto:Tonya.Haff at csiro.au>> wrote:

Hi all,

We were recently donated a few salvaged small snakes and lizards (largest is probably ~30 g) that have been chucked directly in alcohol (the lizards 95%, the snake 70%). Normally, I would prep herps in formalin first, and then step into ETOH. Do any of you have recommendations for how best to deal with these specimens to ensure they preserve well long term? Is it too late, or not smart, to fix them in formalin now?  The very small lizards (skinks) seem fine, and have been in their jars for a few years with almost no slippage. The snake has only recently been placed into 70% alcohol.

Thanks for your help!

Cheers,

Tonya

---------------------------------------------------------
Dr Tonya Haff
Collections Manager
Australian National Wildlife Collection
National Research Collections Australia, CSIRO
Canberra, Australia
Phone: (+61) 02 62421566<tel:(+61)%2002%2062421566>

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