In my Ph. D. research, a couple of bivalve taxa are still presenting
problems.  If anyone is able to send material for the following taxa, it
would be very helpful.  To preserve the material for DNA analysis, the most
effective technique is to put it into as strong ethanol as is available
while it is still alive, making sure that the valves cannot be closed
tightly.  For large specimens (over 3 cm or so), it may be easiest to
remove the animal from the shell and put it into a vial of ethanol.  For
very large shells, removing the adductor and placing it into ethanol will
provide adequate DNA.

If the shell starts to die before it is put into ethanol, the DNA starts to
break down as well, so it is important to preserve it as quickly as
possible.

Taxa of particular interest:
Petricolaridae, such as Choristodon, Petricola, Petricolaria, or Rupellaria.
Crassatellidae, such as Eucrassatella, Bathytormus, Crassatina, or Talabrica.
Anomioidea other than Anomia, such as Enigmonia, Placuna, Placuanomia,
Pododesmus, or Heteranomia.

Thanks again to those who have provided specimens already!


David Campbell

"Old Seashells"

Department of Geological Sciences
CB 3315 Mitchell Hall
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill NC 27599-3315
USA

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919-962-0685
FAX 919-966-4519

"He had discovered an unknown bivalve, forming a new genus"-E. A. Poe, The
Gold Bug