Cephalopoda
Fixation and preservation

Usual methods of fixation and preservation of cephalopod larvae and juveniles are the same as those for larval and juvenile fishes. Fixation of freshly caught specimens with 4% formalin and subsequent transfer to 70% ethyl alcohol is normal. But specimens may be kept in formalin for an unspecified time. Sorted and fixed larvae may be kept in 2% formalin. When working with juveniles and subadults it may be better to spread specimens immediately after capture and fix them after spreading, but this operation is impossible when working with plankton samples containing larval cephalopods. Detailed instructions for fixation, preservation, and preparation of cephalopods are described by Roper and Sweeney (1983).