Use of Euparal

D.S. BLAKELEY pab6dsb at WEST-01.NOVELL.LEEDS.AC.UK
Mon Nov 15 04:19:26 EST 1999


Both euparal and Canada Balsam are eventually prone to 
crystalisation, especially if they are dried at too high a 
temperature. Traditionally Euparal has been the preferred mountant 
because it continues to clear heavily sclerotised specimens thus 
making it easier to determine characters on the genitalia. Also the 
use of Canada Balsam would entail the use of Xylene as a clearing 
agent which, certainly in Britain, is now considered too much of a 
carcinogen. The clearing agent used with Euparal, and as the 
thinning agent as well, has the advantage of being gentler on 
specimens and is not considered to be carcinogenic (as yet).From 
personal experience, I would aways prefer to mount specimens 
using the tried and tested technique that has been adopted.

David Blakeley   
David Blakeley
School of Biology
University of Leeds
Clarenden Way
Leeds LS2 9JT
EMail D.S.Blakeley at leeds.ac.uk


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