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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Hi Indah,</div>
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">the dots on the tail could be mould, even though it would be unusual, if the ethanol still has above 70% (because the tail would be soaked with 70% EtOH). The wet surfaces above the fluid level look like condensed water to me. It
would be worth measuring the ethanol concentration. </div>
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Same for the deposits on the fully submerged specimen; you should measure the concentration (a simple alcoholometer should do); if you don't have one at hand, try to add EOH at known 70%; if the concentration in the jar is 50 %
or less you should see mixing anomalies (schlieren). If either works, you can extract a bit fluid into a petri dish or similar and go to a lab. </div>
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Ethanol above 50% should burn and is a biocide.</div>
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">You should carefully clean the tail under the lab and remove the mould with a soft brush or similar.</div>
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">The deposit looks a bit like cholesterol to me (fatty, wax-like deposits from the specimen). Usually, cholesterol can be brushed off, it might be worth doing this under hand-warm water with a tiny drop of a mild, neutral soap or
detergent.</div>
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Hope this helps</div>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Dirk </div>
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Am 22.08.2025 um 14:55 schrieb Carl Mehling:</div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">I feel like I’ve seen this happen when certain types of metal are used for the specimen tags. That might be something else to consider.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Carl Mehling<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Senior Museum Specialist<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Fossil Amphibian, Reptile, and Bird Collection<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Fossil Plant Collection<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Division of Paleontology<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">American Museum of Natural History<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">200 Central Park West<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">New York, NY 10024<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">212-769-5849<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> Nhcoll-l
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu">
<nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu></a> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Indah Huegele<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, August 19, 2025 3:35 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu">
nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Nhcoll-l] Mold or fungal growth in herpetology collection<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12.0pt;background:#FFEB9C"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black">EXTERNAL SENDER</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Hello everyone,<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">I was wondering if I could get feedback on some scary-looking growths on a few herpetology specimens in our collection (photos attached here). Any thoughts on what these residues are and/or advice on how to treat them would be much appreciated!<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Orange-brown bumps.<i> </i></b><i>(images 143927 and 143900)
</i>There are small, orange-brown, round bumps on one specimen that has had its tail exposed from fluid levels that are too low. I completely replaced the ethanol for this specimen and tried to gently scrape off the growth, but most of it was quite dried on,
so I left it soaking in fresh 70% ethanol for the time being. Is this definitely fungal? Should I try to scrape the rest of the growth off the specimen's tail or leave it alone?<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>White layer of residue.</b> <i>(all other images) </i>On a few salamander specimens, there is this opaque, white layer of residue. This is occurring on salamander specimens that are completely submerged in ethanol. (However, I am not
sure what the concentration of this ethanol is or the last time that it was changed out; I worry it might have lost ethanol concentration over time.) Any thoughts on what this might be and how to treat it? <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">I took over this collection a few months ago, so I am still discovering issues with specimens. I appreciate any suggestions that you folks have to offer on how to help these poor specimens!<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks,<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Indah<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p style="margin-top:0in"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Roboto;color:black">Indah B. Huegele, PhD<br>
</span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:black">Life Sciences Collection Manager | Idaho Museum of Natural History<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:1rem"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:black">Museum Bldg | Room 220<br>
921 S 8th Ave, Stop 8096 | Pocatello, Idaho 83209<br>
(208) 282-2815 | <a href="mailto:indahhuegele@isu.edu" target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext">
indahhuegele@isu.edu</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin-top:0in;margin-bottom:1rem"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:black;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in"><img border="0" width="200" height="37" style="width:2.0833in;height:.3854in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:part1.wifzZ6xh.vLp8EXqf@leibniz-lib.de" alt="Image removed by sender." class=""></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Roboto;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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