[NHCOLL-L:1630] reef preservation?

[Phil.Alderslade at nt.gov.au]

 Hi Lisa,

I don't think it is possible to retain the 'live' pigments.  We have had
reasonable success in displaying live-looking coral specimens by treating the
clean skeleton.  Bleach, wash and dry the skeleton, then air-brush with the
desired colours.  Then, to make it look wet and more alive, brush-coat it with
neutral epoxy gel-coat, used in fibre-glass work.

This treatment is only suitable for corals with relatively small corallites.
The skeletons of things like Symphyllia, or Euphyllia, with large deep
corallites or corallite-grouves need to be partly filled first to get the
impression that the tissue is still present. We have done this by repeatedly
dipping/drying the skeletons in latex until the desired effect is achieved.

Cheers,

Phil.

Phil Alderslade, PhD
Curator of Coelenterates
Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
PO Box 4646,
Darwin 0801
AUSTRALIA

Email: phil.alderslade at nt.gov.au
Phone, National:  08 8999 8252
Phone, International: 61 8 8999 8252
Fax, National: 08 8999 8289
Fax, International: 61 8 8999 8289
                                                                                                    
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We want to harvest a small living coral reef (less than 1 foot diameter and 2
feet tall) and preserve it as a dry specimen, retaining its colours as though
alive. The dried reef will be a permanent museum exhibit.

Does anyone have any experience doing this and/or suggestions of materials and
procedures of how this might be done? Or can you suggest someone who might know
that I can contact?

The following references have been consulted:
Taxidermy and Museum Exhibition, Rowley 1925
The Preservation of Natural History Specimens, Wagstaffe and Fidler 1955
Invertebrate Animals Collection and Preservation, Lincoln and Sheals 1979
Collecting and Preserving Plants and Animals, Knudsen 1972
Biological Museum Methods, Hangay and Dingley 1985

Any help you can give will be much appreciated,
Lisa Greene,
Collections Manager,
Bermuda Museum of Natural History.
--

Bermuda Natural History Museum
PO Box FL 145, Flatts FLBX
Bermuda
T (441) 293-2727 x 124
F (441) 293-3176