Preparation of frozen hydrated specimens of soft-bodied mites for scanning electron microscopic observation

✍ Scribed by Sutherland, P. W. ;Hallett, I. C.

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1987
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 587 KB
• Volume: 6
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0741-0581
• DOI: 10.1002/jemt.1060060305

✦ Synopsis

Conventional methods f o r p r e p a r i n g s o f t -b o d i e d m i t e s f o r scanning e l e c t r o n microscopy u s i n g g l u t a r a l d e h y d e o r osmium vapour f i x a t i o n , ethanol dehydration and c r i t i c a l p o i n t drying, f a i l e d t o g i v e s a t i s f a c t o r y r e s u l t s (Fig. ). The body and l e g s collapsed, and o f t e n t h e l e g s c u r l e d under t h e body, h i n d e r i n g o b s e r v a t i o n o f t h e f i n e s t r u c t u r e o f t h e claws. Also t h e d r i e d m i t e s were e a s i l y damaged d u r i n g mounting. M i t e s prepared by r a p i d dehydration 2,Z-dimethoxypropane ( B j e r k e e t a l . 1979) gave s i m i l a r r e s u l t s . A method i n v o l v i n g c r y o f i x a t i o n has been developed t o overcome these problems. This t h e added bonus t h a t t h e m i t e s can subsequently be mounted on microscope s l f o r f u r t h e r taxonomic study.