[Nhcoll-l] preserving freshwater jellyfish (Hydrozoans)

Thu Jul 9 18:43:33 EDT 2020

Fixation of medusae in 10% formalin is good but storage should be in 5% formalin.  Check the pH too: fine if it’s between 6 and 7 but over 7.5 and it will start to damage them through hydrolysis, below 5.5  and it will be too acid. 

With all good wishes, Simon.

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

www.natural-history-conservation.com 

> On 9 Jul 2020, at 20:01, Curtis Schmidt <cjschmidt at fhsu.edu> wrote:
> 
> Thank you everyone. I'll just fix them and store them in 10% formalin. Please let me know if this is not appropriate. FYI...they have all sunk to the bottom.
> 
> Curtis
> 
> _________________________________
> 
> Curtis J. Schmidt
>     Zoological Collections Manager
>     Sternberg Museum of Natural History
> 
>     Instructor
>     Department of Biological Sciences
>     Fort Hays State University
> 
>     3000 Sternberg Drive
>     Hays, KS  67601
>     785-650-2447 (cell)
> ________________________________
> From: Jean-Marc Gagnon <JMGAGNON at nature.ca>
> Sent: Thursday, July 9, 2020 1:52 PM
> To: Callomon,Paul <prc44 at drexel.edu>; Bentley, Andrew Charles <abentley at ku.edu>; Curtis Schmidt <cjschmidt at fhsu.edu>; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
> Subject: RE: [Nhcoll-l] preserving freshwater jellyfish (Hydrozoans)
>  
> Thanks Paul,
>  
> Useful examples. I know that some of my comments came from zooplankton experts.
> It is possible that observations for specific species of jellies and other zooplankters may have been apply to the broader group as a precautionary approach.
>  
> I don’t think it was an urban legend…  ;0)
>  
> Jean-Marc
>  
>  
> From: Callomon,Paul [mailto:prc44 at drexel.edu] 
> Sent: July 9, 2020 2:26 PM
> To: Jean-Marc Gagnon <JMGAGNON at nature.ca>; Bentley, Andrew Charles <abentley at ku.edu>; Curtis Schmidt <cjschmidt at fhsu.edu>; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] preserving freshwater jellyfish (Hydrozoans)
>  
> On display in the department we have a jar of six Cannonball Jellyfish (Stomolophus meleagris) in ethanol that are in fine condition, floating around like a lava lamp 50 years after collection. We also have a pair of Box Jellyfish that I moved from an unknown fluid to 80% ethanol about 15 years ago, and they too remain positively buoyant and in good, non-opaque condition (they might have been formalin-fixed). Finally I have a Pyrosome (tunicate) in 80% ethanol that is perfect after 18 years. 
> For many years I had a fine Velella that floated perfectly in 70% ethanol, but a few years ago its "sail" began to deflate and it eventually sank to the bottom of the jar. It seems OK otherwise, though.
>  
>  
> Paul Callomon
> Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates
> Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia
> callomon at ansp.org Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170
>  
> From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Jean-Marc Gagnon <JMGAGNON at nature.ca>
> Sent: Thursday, July 9, 2020 1:16 PM
> To: Bentley, Andrew Charles <abentley at ku.edu>; Curtis Schmidt <cjschmidt at fhsu.edu>; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
> Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] preserving freshwater jellyfish (Hydrozoans)
>  
> External.
> Curtis,
>  
> Over my 40 years of work with invertebrates, I have to admit that I never had to fix and/or preserved jellies; my specialty being marine benthos. But I have been told a number of things about the preservation of plankton. 
>  
> One is that some jellies do not like ethanol at all, even after fixation with formaldehyde. I believe that is the case for our small FW medusa Craspedacusta sowerbii. 
>  
> The other issue, which is not necessarily one for jellies, is that specimens can become opaque once transferred in ethanol, hence obscuring internal structures that may normally be used for identification or determining the life stage.
>  
> In both cases, best to leave them in formaldehyde if possible.
>  
> I certainly would like to hear from others on the subject.
>  
> Jean-Marc
>  
> Jean-Marc Gagnon, Ph.D.
> Curator, Invertebrate Collections / Chief Scientist
> Conservateur, Collection des invertébrés / Expert scientifique en chef
> Canadian Museum of Nature / Musée canadien de la nature
> 613 364 4066
> 613 851-7556 cell
> 613 364 4027 Fax
> jmgagnon at nature.ca
>  
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> From: Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Bentley, Andrew Charles
> Sent: July 8, 2020 11:23 PM
> To: Curtis Schmidt <cjschmidt at fhsu.edu>; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] preserving freshwater jellyfish (Hydrozoans)
>  
> Curtis
>  
> You may want to check this out:
>  
> https://www.austincc.edu/sziser/Biol%201413/animal%20collections/Soft%20Bodied%20Invertebrates.pdf
>  
> Doesn’t address hydrozoans specifically but other soft-bodied organisms.
>  
> Then there is this:  https://www.si.edu/es/object/yt_ry67AXwxM9o
>  
> Andy
>  
>      A  :                A  :               A  :
>  }<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<)))_°>
>      V                   V                  V
> Andy Bentley
> Ichthyology Collection Manager
> University of Kansas
> Biodiversity Institute
> Dyche Hall
> 1345 Jayhawk Boulevard
> Lawrence, KS, 66045-7561
> USA
>  
> Tel: (785) 864-3863
> Fax: (785) 864-5335 
> Email: abentley at ku.edu  
> http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu
>  
>      A  :                A  :                A  :
>  }<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<)))_°>
>      V                   V                   V
>  
>  
> From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of "cjschmidt at fhsu.edu" <cjschmidt at fhsu.edu>
> Date: Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 9:37 PM
> To: "nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu" <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
> Subject: [Nhcoll-l] preserving freshwater jellyfish (Hydrozoans)
>  
> All,
>  
> I am wanting to know the best way to preserve and store freshwater Hydrozoans. Formalin? Ethanol? Hand Sanitizer? Any and all information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
>  
> Curtis
> ________________________________
>  
> Curtis J. Schmidt
>     Zoological Collections Manager
>     Sternberg Museum of Natural History
>  
>     Instructor
>     Department of Biological Sciences
>     Fort Hays State University
>  
>     3000 Sternberg Drive
>     Hays, KS  67601
>     785-650-2447 (cell)
> ________________________________
> 
> 
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