How Do You Display And Catalog Your Micros?

[Herb]

You might find my posts on hunting microfossils without breaking the bank useful.

[Jersey]

I agree with jual and the others that those storage/display slides are the way to go. The slides with a black background are best in my opinion because forams and other light colored microfossils show up so well. The numbered squares on the backgrounds are helpful as they make it easy to key the microfossils to a separate identification sheet. In the micropaleo. class I took, what we used to do was to spread a very dilute water soluble adhesive on the black background. After it dries, we would place the desired object (with us it was forams) into the desired square on the slide by using a slightly moistened very fine brush (a triple zero brush works well for this). The placement of the moistened brush on the square causes the adhesive to get sticky and it holds onto the microfossil when the adhesive dries. If later,you decide to move the microfossil to another spot on the slide or to remove it entirely, a slightly moistened brush does the trick again.

[Wendell Ricketts]

I've been reading the various responses as they come in, and one of the issues here is that there are a lot of different versions of what "microfossil" means. When I first responded I, like Jersey and others, assumed the first poster meant fossils that essentially could not be examined at all with the naked eye, but weren't truly microscopic (e.g., forams, ostracodes, spicules, some growth stages, conodonts, and scolecodonts, but not pollen, spores, coccoliths, etc.)

I realize it's a matter of perspective. (A lot of fossils in my collection that seemed quite macro to me 30 years ago have apparently shrunk as I've aged and how require at least a magnifying glass.) still, some of the definitions I'm aware of "officially" classify microfossils as being those between 50 and 1000 microns (about 1mm) or 16 and 325 mesh (with smaller material being grouped as nanofossils.

But I'm not arguing for any specific nomenclature over another, only for the idea that prepping, cataloging, and displaying depend upon what material you are specifically dealing with. As you can see here, a generic term like "microfossil" generates a wide range of responses, at least some of which aren't functional for the material the original poster wanted to display (at least as my memory serves).

Best to all.

[Auspex]

For now, I'd like to let the context of the topic define the manner of 'microfossil' to which it pertains; the whole subject may be self-defining by how we use it. At the very least, many of the useful methods of collection, study, and curation overlap.

[Missourian]

My personal interpretation of 'microfossils':

1. Any fossil that needs a microscope for proper study (including nanofossils).

2. 'Classic' microfossil groups, such as forams, ostracods, conodonts, pollen, etc. This would include larger forms (eg. Nummulites, some fusulinids) that can be examined with a hand lens (though I would draw the line for those that reach freakishly large sizes).

For 'micropaleontology', I would also include microscopic detail of larger fossils.

[Auspex]

Like paleontology itself; it is not a single discipline, but a suite of them brought to bear on questions that, at one time, no one even thought to ask.

[Missourian]

It may just come down to a judgement call. Anyway, in most cases, it is cut and dried.

I've seen similar debates in astronomy, such as what constitutes a 'planet' or a 'great comet'.

Edited March 22, 2013 by Missourian

[Auspex]

I know 'em when I don't see 'em.

[grampa dino]

Macro or Micro ??

Coin holders work and look better when double sided tape is used not stapled

35mm slide holders take a little more work but look great

[Protanisoceras]

What water soluble adhesive is generally used to hold micros such as forams or ostracods in place? Alternatively, is an acetone based glue such as paraloid any good for this?

Regards

[Jersey]

I'm not sure what we used as the water soluble adhesive. But, I was thinking of trying a diluted Elmer's Glue All. I haven't done so yet. My preference is to not use anything toxic.

[Jersey]

Just a follow up. I tried the dilute Elmer's Glue All and after a few tries where the glue was too diluted with water to hold the forams, the glue finally did work. It takes a little trial and error to find a satisfactory proportion of glue to water but I'm happy with the result.

[Acryzona]

There is a TFF link to US based microfossil slide distributors
http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/links/link/30-microfossil-slides-and-accessories/

I agree with Shamalama that lots of 100 can be too large for the beginner or casual collector (though I think any microfossil collector isn't casual! ) but with an online community such as TFF we may be able to split an order among users if it is announced in a thread ahead of time and coordinated through PMs between the parties.

Arcyzona

[mikecable]

There is a TFF link to US based microfossil slide distributors

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/links/link/30-microfossil-slides-and-accessories/

I agree with Shamalama that lots of 100 can be too large for the beginner or casual collector (though I think any microfossil collector isn't casual! ) but with an online community such as TFF we may be able to split an order among users if it is announced in a thread ahead of time and coordinated through PMs between the parties.

Arcyzona

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwuQhP6LCMJadkRkbG9CLTN3YVU/edit?usp=sharing

Here's a link to their price list.

[Otodusobliquus]

I use the gem jar trays as well. I found this website that sells a wide variety of them. The trays and jar inserts are on separate pages though.

[ZiggieCie]

A nice time jump in posts, but good to bring back, a lot of new people since 2013.

[MarcoSr]

Gem jar displays housed in a map chest.

Marco Sr.

[jpc]

Beautiful, marco.

[Troodon]

Marco excellent use of the map chest. Looks like it was meant to display your beautiful teeth.

[MarcoSr]

Beautiful, marco.

Marco excellent use of the map chest. Looks like it was meant to display your beautiful teeth.

Thank you. I have five map chests filled with gem jar displays of my micro teeth. Looking at the displays gives me incentive to search more matrix for micro teeth.

Marco Sr.

[Auspex]

I hope you feel a strong sense of satisfaction, too, for all you have accomplished so far.

[MarcoSr]

I hope you feel a strong sense of satisfaction, too, for all you have accomplished so far.

Chas

I'm actually very frustrated. I'm involved with a number of papers. Worse than watching grass grow. I also have a bunch of things that I can't get anyone to look at. I also have donated different specimens over the years with the promise that "The specimens will be studied and described". That must be one of the world's biggest lies like "the check is in the mail". All that being said, I am so grateful that I have two sons that I can eventually pass my fossils to.

Marco Sr.

[Herb]

Beautiful display, Marco.

[Ridgehiker]

Those gem displays are fantastic.

I also use gem jars for some specimens, however, the bulk of my micro vertebrates are displayed in a few ways. The first photo is of small raptor teeth in coin holders....then I put these into plastic slide-photo pages and put these in a binder (second photo). They store neatly and I just have to flip the plastic pages to view them.

Some of the micro vertebrates are more fragile...these are in the same type of coin holders but then put into plastic boxes (third photo). They fit well and I can stack them to keep everything compact.. The plastic box in the photo contains Devonian shark teeth.

I also use recycled microscope slide holders for real small micro vertebrates (fourth photo)...then put these into slide books (fifth photo)to store safely and neatly.

Edited September 30, 2015 by Ridgehiker

[MarcoSr]

Beautiful display, Marco.

Herb

Thank you.

Marco Sr.

Those gem displays are fantastic.

I also use gem jars for some specimens, however, the bulk of my micro vertebrates are displayed in a few ways. The first photo is of small raptor teeth in coin holders....then I put these into plastic slide-photo pages and put these in a binder (second photo). They store neatly and I just have to flip the plastic pages to view them.

Some of the micro vertebrates are more fragile...these are in the same type of coin holders but then put into plastic boxes (third photo). They fit well and I can stack them to keep everything compact.. The plastic box in the photo contains Devonian shark teeth.

I also use recycled microscope slide holders for real small micro vertebrates (fourth photo)...then put these into slide books (fifth photo)to store safely and neatly.

Thank you. I really like your displays. Coin holders have some advantages over gem jars like cost and space requirements. But if you want to get at the specimens (to take pictures) you have to take out the staples. It is also easier to position specimens the way you want in the gem jars versus the coin holders. Sometimes I wish I had gone the coin holder route. Other times I'm happy with the gem jars. Both work well for the larger shark, ray, fish etc. micros. However neither will work at all for the true micros where you need slides like you have shown.

Marco Sr.