a marine copepode

[Franz Neidl]

This is a marine copepode.
(objective 10x, projection-eyepiece 2,5x
a stack with 7 pictures)

Franz

[gpmatthews]

Very nice image. How was the specimen prepared?

[Franz Neidl]

How was the specimen prepared?

Thank you very much gpmatthews! I use now a solution of Magnesium chloride (in seawater) to anesthetize the copepods.

Franz

[rjlittlefield]

I use now a solution of Magnesium chloride (in seawater) to anesthetize the copepods.

Is this reversible? Wash away the magnesium choride and the copepods come back to normal?

--Rik

[Franz Neidl]

Hallo Rik,

I started only to weeks ago working with Magnesium chloride and up to now I did'nt make systematic experiments. Also I could not find any studies about M. chloride and copepods - only one article - but not about copepods - from JB Messenger (1985): "Magnesium chloride as an anaesthetic for cephalopods".
The book from Roger J Lincoln & J Gordon Sheals: Invertebrate Animals. Collection and Preservation, London 1985 says: "A nearly isotonic solution of magnesium chloride (about 7,5 per cent MgCl2.6H2O dissolved in fresh or distilled water ) has been widely used for anaesthetizing marine animals" p.124.
It seems to me that Magnesium chloride does not work with protozoa.

If somebody is making experiments I would be interested in the results.

Franz

[pgk]

I use now a solution of Magnesium chloride (in seawater) to anesthetize the copepods.

Is this reversible? Wash away the magnesium choride and the copepods come back to normal?

--Rik

I was asking the same question of a marine biologist friend only a week or so ago. Apparently it can be reversible but he is unaware of any quantitative data on concentrations, species affected and so on. Provided concentration is low though, he has observed creatures revive apparently none the worse for being anesthetized with magnesium chloride. Any data would interest me too.

[svalley]

Franz, Nice detail.

Steve