[Nhcoll-l] Techniques for taking toe pad samples?

[Pepijn Kamminga]

Dear dr. Cassidy,

Similar requests are made for the bird and mammal collection of Naturalis
Biodiversity Center, the Netherlands. Bird skins often have small flaps of
skin that can be cut with fresh scalpel blades. For me it helps to apply
some counterpressure, but the blade should do the cutting, so I don't apply
too much force. As for mammals I prefer to use specimens stored on alcohol,
I make a small incision in the ventral side of the skin and take a sample
of the breast muscle. Mammalian toepads I find difficult in general. If the
requested specimen is a skin, cutting a piece of tissue along the seam can
also do the trick. I hope this is of any help to you.

Met vriendelijke groet /  Kind regards,

Pepijn Kamminga
Senior Collection Manager Birds & Mammals






+31717519338 - -
pepijn.kamminga at naturalis.nl - www.naturalis.nl
Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden
Postbus 9517, 2300 RA Leiden

<https://www.naturalis.nl/over-ons> <https://www.naturalis.nl/lang-leve>











Op di 19 jan. 2021 om 19:27 schreef Cassidy, Kelly Michela <cassidyk at wsu.edu
>:

> I am getting more frequent requests for toe pad samples for DNA
> sequencing, instead of skin clips.
>
>
>
> I find it difficult to take these samples without putting stress on the
> prepared skin. The toe pads are tough and leathery. Scalpels don’t cut into
> them very easily, if at all. The most recent request is for a sample from a
> vole, which has small feet.
>
>
>
> Are there any techniques or recommended tools to help minimize stress and
> possible damage to skins when taking toe pad samples?
>
>
>
> Dr. Kelly M. Cassidy, Curator, Conner Museum
>
> School of Biological Sciences
>
> Box 644236
>
> Washington State University
>
> Pullman, WA 99164-4236
>
> 509-335-3515
>
>
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