Images of Aedes aegypti adult mosquitoes

Technical Details

Samples were fixed 10 minutes at 65C in Smith's modified Bouin's fixative.

Smith's Modified Bouin's Fixative
  • 100 microliters picric acid
  • 100 microliters 100 percent ethanol
  • 11 microliters 37 percent commercial formalin
  • 11 microliters glacial acetic acid

    Before use, preheat the fixative for 10 minutes to 65C.
    Add sample, continue to heat for 10 minutes,
    then let cool slowly to room temperature.
Three to sixteen hours later, fixative was replaced with 70 percent ethanol and stored until embedding. Storage was typically no more than 72 hours but on occasion was as long as a week.

The stain was Gillis II hematoxylin and eosin Y.

Samples were embedded in paraffin, sectioned, and stained at the Histology Core Facility of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center.

CAUTION: The picric acid is explosive so ensure proper storage conditions for it!

Thanks to Bill Romoser for recommending this fixative!

http://research.biology.arizona.edu/mosquito/tech.html
The Mosquito Atlas at The University of Arizona
Copyright © 1997 E. Willott. All rights reserved.
Last update June 7,1998. Mail comments to: willott@u.arizona.edu