Thanks Andrew -
we all learned a bit.

I have used a small hill of ants to chow down on the remains.
It is important not to put the shell in dirt as the surface
might not stay bight.  There are chemicals in the dirt naturally.

And with the thought of violently shaking - yep been there.
Get gallon zip lock bags or just a plastic bag -
containerize the subject and a full tile shower room
isn't needed :-)

Martin

Andrew Grebneff wrote:
>> Dear Conch-lers,
>> I have recently acquired a couple of live Cymatium
>> corrugatum from fishermen.
>> The specimens died while driving home and are now deep
>> inside the shell, out of reach of any kind of tools.
>> Do you have any suggestions for cleaning these
>> specimens without damaging the thick periostracum
>> which covers the shells?
>> Would burying them in the soil be a good method?
>
> No!!! Decomposition products will remain inside the shell... that's
> not so much the problem as those products which leak out of the shell
> and damage the visible internal & external surfaces.
>
> Try shaking the specimens violently, holding them FIRMLY and with the
> canal downward (do this where it is safe to, or else clean the
> ceiling, walls etc up afterward). The sudden stop at the downward end
> of the swing will hopefully (eventually) cause much or all of the
> animal to fly out. Keep track of it... you'll need to retrieve the
> operculum. It helps to flush with a strong water jet up the aperture
> between sets of shakes.
>
> Whatever is left will soften as it rots and you can flush/shake it
> out in a few days' time (store with canal upward while allowing
> specimens to sit, so that acids remain harmlessly in the upper
> spire). Alternatively you can sit the specimens spire-down and
> dribble a bit of formalin (4% is ideal) into each shell, allowing
> them to remain thus for some days, then give them a good rinsing-out
> & shake to remove unabsorbed formalin. The specimens can then dry; if
> formalin is used the remaining animal matter should not rot.
> Sometimes mites may breed in the fixed tissues; this becomes obvious
> when fine tan powder appears around the shell or falls out when it is
> handled. This is mite-poo. It won't harm the shell, though it looks a
> bit messy.
> --
> Andrew Grebneff
> Dunedin
> New Zealand
> Fossil preparator
> <[log in to unmask]>
> Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut
>
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--
Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
TSRA, Life; NRA LOH & Endowment Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
http://lufkinced.com/

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