Preparation of nematodes for scanning electron microscopy

Abstract

A simplified procedure is described for the preparation of nematodes for scanning electron microscopy. The method uses a chamber to contain the specimens, during processing (McClure and Stowell, 1978). The nematodes are killed by heating, fixed in either 4% formalin or F: P 4: 1, cleaned by sonication, post fixed in unbuffered 1 % osmium tetroxide, slowly dehydrated to 100% ethanol, transferred to amyl acetate and then critical point dried (using CO2 ). Finally the nematodes are mounted and gold coated. Samples from nematode species within the orders Tylenchida, Rhabditida, Araeolaimida, and Dorylaimida have been successfully prepared using this schedule.