i am hafiz m waseem from vehari bsc in science college multan msc in university of education lahore pakistan

1. HAFIZ
MUHAM
MAD
WASEEM
BA BA G
LAHORE

2. Advanced Analytical Techniques
UNIVESITY OF
EDUCATION
LAHORE

3. 3
 A zoological specimen is
an animal or part of an
animal preserved for
scientific use
 Examples include
◦ Bird and mammal skins
◦ Mounted specimens
◦ Eggs and nests
◦ Skeletal material
◦ Casts
◦ Foot prints and burrows
◦ Pinned insects
◦ microscope slides
Introduction and objectives

4. 4
 Specimen preservation
means long term
preservation of organisms
in suitable medium like
formalin, alcohol, etc. in
the best possible natural
condition.
 It is a fundamental
requirement in
biological/medical science,
agriculture, and
biotechnology
Introduction and objectives

5. 5
 The scientific description of
an animal species requires
◦ Detailed examination
◦ Description of a
representative type
specimen
◦ Series of specimens which
are deposited, catalogued
and maintained in a
museum
 Reference for other workers
in the future
Introduction and objectives

6. 6
 Natural history museums are
repositories of zoological
specimens:
◦ To verify the identity of a
species
◦ Study and research
◦ To study relationship of
animals with each other
◦ To increase knowledge
of zoology
◦ To increase public
awareness and interest
Introduction and objectives

7. Types of preservation techniques
Animal Preservation
Techniques- Types
of preservation
techniques

8. Types of preservation techniques
 This process of preparing,
stuffing, and mounting the
skins of animals so that they
look like living
 Skull and other bones are
retained to create a dummy
or mannequin
 This involves removal of skin
of animals
 Preservation and tanning of
the skin
 Mounting on a mannequin
made from wood, wool, etc.

9. 9
 Specimen preservation
involves immersing the
whole animal in a fluid
preservative
 Fluid preservation may
change the fur colour, skin
coat or integument
properties
 Purpose:
◦ For studying anatomy and
histology
Types of preservation techniques

10. 10
 It involves preserving the
specimens by applying
some chemicals in dry
conditions
 Study skins with skulls /
partial skeletons (some
bones in skin)
 Purpose:
◦ For studying colour, hair
quality and moulting
patterns
Types of preservation techniques

11. 11
 A special form of drying that
removes all moisture,
specimen is freeing and then
placing in a strong vacuum
 The water then sublimates ,
that is, it directly changes to
vapors
 Purpose:
◦ To study mounted skins with
partial or entire skeleton
(some bones may remain in
the skin)
Types of preservation techniques

12. Animal Preservation Techniques

13. 13
 Killing and relaxing of
animals
 Fixation
◦ Stops cellular respiration
◦ Kills decomposers like
bacteria and fungi in the
organisms
◦ Good penetrating ability
 Storage in bottles, jars
vials, trays.
Methods of preservation

14. 14
 Formalin (most commonly used
fixative)
 Usage
◦ It is used for vertebrates only
◦ It is avoided for long-term
storage since it is acidic and
difficult to handle.
◦ Mostly it is used where
colour is important since
alcohol dissolves most
colours almost immediately.
◦ It penetrates more rapidly
and internal organs remain in
better condition
Methods of preservation

15. 15
 Industrial Alcohol (for both
fixing and storage)
 Usage
◦ Alcohol is usually not used
for vertebrates
◦ Used for long-term storage
of the animals
◦ Colours of specimen is lost
immediately
◦ Glycerine in alcohol is used to
presreve colours and
flexibility
◦ For long-term preservation,
70-75% alcohol is used
Methods of preservation

16. 16
 Isopropyl alcohol
 Usage
◦ It is cheap and easy to obtain.
There are different strengths
available (70% and 90%)
◦ 40% alcohol is preferred
solution
◦ it can be hard on the
specimens and tends to make
them brittle with time
 Buffering: It can be buffered
with a few drops of glycerin
and a pinch of calcium
carbonate
Methods of preservation

17. Animal Preservation Techniques

18. Animal Preservation Techniques

19.  A single specimen may be a
composite of preparations
sharing a unique number.
 An example may be a
vertebrate with an alcohol-
preserved skin and viscera, a
cleared and stained head, the
post-cranial dried
skeleton, slides of various
organs, and frozen tissue
samples.
 This specimen could also be a
voucher for a publication, or
photographs and audiotape.
Applications of animal preservation

20.  A voucher is a representative
specimen of the animal used in
a study, such as collected in
an ecological survey or a
specimen which was the source
of DNA for a molecular study.
 Voucher specimens confirm the
identity as they are a backup
against misidentification,
changing species concept
which may mislead the results.
 Type specimens are a special
type of voucher specimen used
in taxonomy
Applications of animal preservation

21.  These specimen may
have historic
significance for instance the
specimens collected
by Johann Baptist von Spix
 He collected specimens of
plants, insects, mammals,
birds, amphibians and fish
during his expedition to
Brazil
 These constitute an
important basis in National
Zoological Collection in
Munich
Applications of animal preservation

22. Animal Preservation Techniques

23. High acidity is likely to render
the specimens brittle and
transparent
Temperature, humidity, etc.
Crabs and prawns may also be
killed in formalin, but this
renders their joints hard and
brittle, and their limbs cannot be
easily manipulated
 The larger arthropods
(especially those with hard
exoskeletons) sometimes need
to be injected with 10% formalin
to prevent their innards from
rotting.
Factors affecting preservation