Share your research or perspectives on PRESERVATION AND CURATION OF THE EARLY LIFE STAGES OF FISH, AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES

[Darrel E. Snyder]

Update of mid-August Announcement.

Alexandra Snyder (Museum of Southwestern Biology, Albuquerque, NM), I=
 (Darrel Snyder--unrelated), and others are organizing a workshop on the=
 Preservation and Curation of Early Life Stages of Fish, Amphibians, and=
 Reptiles on behalf of the ASIH Collections Committee and the AFS Early Life=
 History Section).  The workshop is planned for the joint meeting of the=
 American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, Larval Fish=
 Conference (American Fisheries Society Early Life History Section), and=
 other organizations in Seattle (Univ. Washington), 26 June to 2 July 1997=
 (see meeting web page at http://artedi.fish.washington.edu/asih/asih97.html=
 ).  It will be held on Tuesday, 1 July, from 1:30 to 4:30 PM.  Lex=
 (Alexandra) is handling contributions regarding amphibians and reptiles and=
 I am handling those regarding fish.  Format will consist of a series of=
 12-minute (or shorter) contributed presentations on pertinent topics each=
 followed by at least 3 minutes of questions and discussion (long=
 presentations will be considered and if possible we will substantially=
 increase time for lively discussions and exchanges of information and=
 ideas).

If you have conducted research or have a perspective, recommendation, or=
 problem concerning specimen fixation, preservation, storage, management,=
 cataloging, or related matters that you would like to share or discuss with=
 others during this workshop, please contact Lex (AMSnyder at UMN.edu) or=
 myself (DESnyder at picea.CNR.ColoState.edu) as soon as possible.  Titles and=
 abstracts are due by to the conveners of the joint meetings by 15 March=
 (see the meeting web site, address above, for specifics on preparing and=
 submitting the abstract); please also forward copies of abstracts to either=
 Lex or myself.  In addition, for persons presenting papers or notes during=
 this workshop, we will require a corresponding manuscript (on diskette or=
 transmitted by e-mail to Lex) by or during the workshop for electronic=
 publication as a workshop paper under the ASIH Curation web page -- =
 (http:/muse.bio.cornell.edu:70/11/curation/ichs_herps).

In this workshop, we would like to address optimal fixation and preservation=
 (fluids, procedures, containers, storage) for permanently maintaining
morphologically life-like specimens (minimal shrinkage, deformation, and
loss of color or melanophore pigmentation).  We would also like to cover=
 special fixation, preservation, and curatorial needs for specimens to be=
 cleared and stained as for skeletal and nervous system studies or examined=
 for histological, otolith, gut content, karotype, biochemistry, allozyme,=
 RNA, and DNA investigations.  Contributions addressing the chemistry of=
 fixation and preservation as well as and the nature, availability, and=
 management of preserved reference, research, and voucher collections and=
 pertinent data standards for reporting and cataloging purposes are also of=
 interest.

With regard to fish eggs, embryos, larvae, and early juveniles, we would=
 particularly like to update, re-examine, and supplement information and=
 guidelines provided by Lavenberg, McGowen, and Woodsum in the Ahlstrom=
 Symposium publication (1984. Preservation and Curation.  Pages 57-58 in=
 Moser et al., editors.  Ontogeny and Systematics of Fishes.  ASIH Spec.=
 Publ. 1) and Snyder in the Fisheries Techniques manual(1983.  Fish Eggs and=
 Larvae.  Pages 165-197 in Nielson and Johnson. Fisheries Techniques. =
 American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland--pages 179-181 on sample=
 handling and preservation).

Again, if you are interested in contributing a presented paper or note at=
 this workshop, please contact either Lex or myself as soon possible.  We=
 hope to see you at the meeting.


Darrel E. Snyder               Research Associate
Larval Fish Laboratory         Curator, LFL Collection
33J Wagar Building             Telephone: (970)491-5295
Colorado State University      Fax: (970)491-5091
Fort Collins, Colorado 80523   E-mail: DESnyder at picea.CNR.ColoState.edu
______ WEB- http://www.CNR.ColoState.edu/~desnyder/desnyder.htm _______

  For information on the Larval Fish Laboratory, check out our web page
__________ http://www.CNR.Colostate.edu/~desnyder/lfl97.htm ___________