Abstract

We describe methods for preparing dry skeletons of virtually any osteichthyan species with a well-ossified skeleton, including very large specimens (e.g., > 1 m Megalops atlanticus). Our approach differs from those conventionally used to prepare skeletons of tetrapods in that (1) fairly complete dissection of the specimen is required at the outset of processing; and (2) we use an alcohol dehydration step to rapidly dry the specimen. Similar techniques can be used to prepare well-calcified chondrichthyan skeletons. We also outline the steps for making Ridewood dissections of the skull. Dry, partially articulated skeletons prepared by these methods can be stored indefinitely in acid-free containers in an environmentally controlled space (21 C ± 3 C; Rh = 40% ± 5%) in pest-proof specimen cases. Although a truism of anatomical research is that you cannot learn everything from studying one specimen or one type of preparation, partially articulated dry skeletons are useful for research ranging from phylogenetic investigations to age and growth analyses to functional morphology, making them of great and lasting value to any collection.