Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-qxdb6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-27T05:25:22.144Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Microfossil vacuum picker—a new tool for micropaleontologists

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 May 2016

Sándor Némethy
Affiliation:
Department of Marine Geology, University of Göteborg, Box 7064, S-402 32 Göteborg, Sweden
Björn A. Malmgren
Affiliation:
Department of Marine Geology, University of Göteborg, Box 7064, S-402 32 Göteborg, Sweden

Extract

A considerable part of micropaleontological work consists of picking microfossils for various types of analyses. Physical removal of specimens from a sample is necessary, for example, in morphometric, stable isotope, geochemical, and molecular studies of microfossils. The traditional method for picking microfossils involves transfer of each specimen from the picking tray to a slide using a moistened brush or a needle. This process requires a great deal of time and the risk of losing or damaging the specimen on the way from the picking tray to the slide is apparent. Furthermore, in geochemical analyses, the use of a moistened brush or needle for picking considerably increases the risk of contamination by undesirable organic substances, such as amino acids and polysaccharids. The brush-licking practised by some micropaleontologists results in anthropogenic contamination, which affects the results of molecular micropaleontologic analyses. We present a simple and effective device for microfossil picking, which may save about 60 percent of the time devoted to picking microfossils and prevent contamination during preparation.

Type
Paleontological Notes
Copyright
Copyright © The Paleontological Society 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Robbins, L. L. 1987. Morphologic variability and protein isolation and characterization of Recent planktonic foraminifera. Unpubl. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Miami, Coral Cables, Florida, 226 p.Google Scholar