title: Using wintergreen oil for mounting mosquito larvae: a safer alternative to xylene.
abstract: Permanent mounting of fourth instar mosquito larvae is essential for identifying Aedes spp. This procedure requires extensive exposure to xylene, a clearing agent in the mounting process. We investigated wintergreen oil as a substitute for xylene. Five hundred larvae were mounted on slides to evaluate shrinkage or expansion of specimens after clearing using xylene or wintergreen oil. We examined the ventral brush and siphonal hair tufts for species identification and for preservation of morphological characteristics after clearing specimens in xylene or wintergreen oil. Shrinkage of the length of whole larvae and width of the head, thorax and abdomen after mounting was significantly greater after clearing with xylene than with wintergreen oil. The length of the comb scale nearest the ventral brush was similar for both clearing agents. The clarity of the specimens after mounting was improved by clearing with wintergreen oil, but the integrity of the ventral brush and siphonal hair tufts were similar for both clearing agents.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology , Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center , Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Koay
authors.affiliation: a Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology , Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center , Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia.
authors.forename: N N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Natasya
authors.affiliation: a Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology , Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center , Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia.
authors.forename: Mag
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nashithatul
authors.affiliation: a Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology , Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center , Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ihsanuddin
authors.affiliation: a Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology , Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center , Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia.
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Salleh
authors.affiliation: a Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology , Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Center , Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia.
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Azil
mesh_terms: D000330:Aedes / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D016591:Histocytological Preparation Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D007814:Larva / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012459:Salicylates / Q000494:pharmacology; D014992:Xylenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012459:Salicylates; D014992:Xylenes; C515973:wintergreen oil
keywords: Aedes; clearing; dengue; laboratory technicians; larvae; methyl salicylate; mosquito; mounting; occupational hazard; shrinkage; wintergreen oil; xylene