[Nhcoll-l] Acid free card board or card stock for mammal flat skins samples

[Thomas Labedz]

Beth
I have dozens, if not hundreds, of flat mammal skins ranging in size from small mice to otter. Instead of a mid-ventral incision to remove the skin I recommend a side incision from the corner of the mouth to the base of the tail. This leaves the entire dorsal, ventral and one flank area intact for examination both of exterior (pelage patterns) and interior (molt or gland (shrew) patterns) surfaces. Incision side feet go to with the carcass for a skeleton, opposite side feet stay with the skin. Skin has fat gently removed, washed if necessary. A wire/cotton can be inserted into tail and wisps of cotton in the remaining two legs. Pinned (insect pins are great) to dry on a paper towel on foam core with the fur side up. Tag threaded through eye hole. When dry the paper towel is examined for oil spots. Oily skins are placed flesh side up on a fresh paper towel and then covered with a layer of very warm cornmeal to pull oil out (repeat as necessary). Finished product, with tag attached, is placed in a polyethylene bag, frozen for a couple of weeks, and installed to the collection. Again, no card attached, both sides of hide are visible.
For larger skins (i.e., raccoon) it is the same process with the possible addition of a wide fold (not a crease) in the hide to reduce the overall size. The flat dried hide has a wood dowel wrapped in wet cotton placed where the fold is desired and tented in plastic. Anywhere from a few hours to a day (cotton might need more water) the skin should be soft enough for a wide fold. Be careful it is wet enough to fold otherwise the hide might crack and break. The hide is then left to dry again in the folded position (fur side out) with the a dry dowel in place. When dry the hide should have enough flexibility to still peek inside for molt patterns, etc. No tanning chemicals are used, cornmeal or corn cob fines are it. Without the additional chemicals these skins could be used for environmental chemical / isotope analyses.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Whole animal fluid preservation is also an option, though likely not for the bigger beasts.
Thomas

Thomas E. Labedz (Mr.), Collections Manager
Division of Zoology and Division of Botany
University of Nebraska State Museum
Morrill Hall
645 North 14th Street
Lincoln, NE 68588-0338
402/472-8366
tlabedz1 at unl.edu<mailto:tlabedz1 at unl.edu>   www.museum.unl.edu<http://www.museum.unl.edu>





From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> On Behalf Of Elizabeth Wommack
Sent: Monday, October 3, 2022 4:49 PM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Acid free card board or card stock for mammal flat skins samples

Non-NU Email
________________________________
Hello everyone,

The UWYMV has several active graduate research projects on mammals, and we're working to help them preserve as much as possible while also not overwhelming the collection. One thing we are looking into is saving some parts of the animals as flat skins, and I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for the types of material to use for the pinning and stretching the mammal flat skins and skin samples.

I've found archival/acid free card stock, which I think will work well for helping preserve parts of chipmunks. I'm concerned though the card stock will not be sturdy enough to help us preserve skins samples from larger mammals, such as raccoons.

Any recommendations or suggestions are much appreciated.

Thank you,
Beth Wommack

Elizabeth Wommack, PhD
Curator and Collections Manager of Vertebrates
University of Wyoming Museum of Vertebrates
Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center
University of Wyoming,
Laramie, WY 82071
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