The Invertebrate Collection may be a tremendous grade boost or, well, not so much. Since the laboratory grade is based on 4 laboratory practica each worth 50 points (200 points total) and one invertebrate collection (100 points). The collection is worth 1 third of your entire laboratory grade. You may EARN additional points for finding a greater diversity of taxa. Unless you are a very savy collector, or extremely lucky, the diversity of specimens that you collect will be directly related to the amount of time and energy that you put into your collection. The collection will be graded on three criteria: 1) the diversity of the collection, 2) correct taxonomic designations, 3) correct preservation techniques and labeling. Please notice that you may compensate for poor performance on laboratory practicals with added effort regarding the collection or compensate for missing required specimens in the collection. Despite the apparently long list of specimens that you are asked to collect, the task should not be too difficult provided you do two things: 1) don't procrastinate, 2) use the time-saving collecting methods used by naturalists over the last 200 years.

Your grade will be determined primarily by what you collect, how you identify it, and how it is labeled. The collection is worth 100 points total. The collection is to be TURNED IN at the end of the course and will become a permanent part of the S.U. invertebrate collection. If you have particular specimens that you would like to keep, do NOT include them in your collection.

40 points: having the required specimens

40 points: correct identifications (note: incorrect identifications may result in additional loss of points if it results in missing required specimens).

20 points: correctly preserved, specimens intact, readable labels, correct label information (site local, date, collector etc.)

In addition to these points-there is the opportunity for up to 91 bonus points. These points are designed to reward the ambitious invertebrate collector, overcome poor performance on laboratory practicals, or compensate for missing specimens from the requirements list.

4 Phyla:

Bonus: Any other METAZOAN invertebrate phyla other than those listed: 2 points each-up to 3 additional phyla (6 point limit).

Among the Arthropods, you are required to collect the following:

Any other order not listed: 5 point bonus (2 order limit: 10 point limit)

Bonus: 2 points for every additional specimen collected from one of the 12 orders listed immediately above (each specimen must be from a DIFFERENT order to count). (10 point limit)

Bonus points: Phylum Nematomorpha-any species (10 points)

Hint: collect grasshoppers or crickets and place them in containers with high humidity/source of water for a few days

Any spider from any other family other than that in your collection: 2 points possible) (limit-6 points)

Bonus points: 2 points for a specimen of any of the following

Pseudoscorpions-any species

Scorpions-any species

(4 pts possible)

5 points for any of the following orders
Amblypygida

Uropygida

Solfugida

(15 pts possible)

10 points for any of the following orders

Palpigrada

Schizomida

Ricinulei

(30 points possible)

Hint: use berlese funnels or look closely under loose bark/stones

This advice really applies to you whenever you go out--it's not just invertebrate zoologists who run into trouble. Always remember that SOME invertebrates are dangerous, as are some wild vertebrates. However, most invertebrates you will encounter in this area are not dangerous unless you have a severe allergic reaction to bites and/or stings. Wear protective shoes and clothing; when outside in the sun for long periods, wear sunscreen and/or a hat. Watch for poison ivy. The fields across from Sassafras St. (your most likely collecting area) have large quantities of poison ivy along the hedgerows.

Avoid any strangely acting vertebrates; they may be infected with rabies.

If bitten by a snake or what you think to be a venomous arthropod, seek medical aid immediately. Make sure you can give an accurate description of the animal that bit you.

Lastly, NEVER go off into the wilderness without telling someone where you are going and when you expect to be back. Your instructor will give you more information about good collecting sites.

The simplest form of collecting is by hand with small vials or collecting jars. Carry vials with you and a small bag. The greatest advantage of this method is that you can sample a very large number of different habitats in a short amount of time. The trick to using this method is to be an opportunist. Never be without a small vial, jar, or plastic collecting vial. Remember, a single cat may have 4 different invertebrate phyla on its body. That box of cereal left open for days---who knows what treasures you will find!

Berlese-Tulgren funnels are the preferred method for extracting invertebrates from soil and leaf litter. A Berlese funnel uses light and heat to drive invertebrates from a substrate like leaf litter or soil and into a collecting vial. You will have a Berlese Funnel to use. Most Berlese funnels consist of a large plastic funnel, a glass jar large enough to accommodate the funnel, and a table lamp or other light source. A plastic funnel is preferable because it creates the least condensation under the heat of the lamp. Position the funnel in the jar so that there is room at the bottom for the invertebrates to exit. Place 75% ethanol in the vial to kill specimens as they are driven out of the funnel. This has multiple functions: 1) it prevents invertebrates from climbing out of the vial and escaping, 2) it prevents predaceous species from feeding on other individuals prior to you checking the specimens, and 3) it prevents the specimens from decomposing prior to preservation. It may take 24-48 hours to drive out most of the invertebrates, depending on the size of the litter or soil sample and its moisture content.

One of the oldest and easiest ways zoologists collect small animals in the field is with the use of a pitfall trap. The collection strategy is very simple: The collector buries a small container so that the top of the trap is even with the ground. The unsuspecting animal falls into the trap and is unable to escape because because of the trap's smooth and slippery sides. There are many different pitfall trap designs (you may come up with your own). They are very easy to construct. Simply dig a small hole with a garden trowel and sink a jar or cup into the hole so that the top is even with the surface of the ground. Fill in the soil tightly around the outside of the container. Check the traps DAILY to reduce death or predation of the animals you have collected (especially shrews in both the former and latter case). You may use propylene glycol as a preservative for the traps. This is an expensive form of preservative, so use sparingly. You may also toss a crumpled piece of paper in the trap to serve as a refuge for smaller invertebrates that may be consumed by larger ones. You may also choose to bait the trap with fermented fruit or meat (yum!) depending on your collecting interest.

This is a novel way to capture nocturnal invertebrates. A flashlight or headlamp can be used during hand-collecting. Many species of insects--especially lepidopterans, are attracted to the light source and make collecting simple. Many beetles and hemipterans are also attracted to light. If the light comes on regularly (e.g. security lights), it may attract a number of spiders to take advantage of the food source. Various species of spider-notably wolf spiders, fishing spiders, and jumping spiders have eyes that reflect light (much like deer). One can see their eye-shine in the dark and usually scoop them into vial without having them spot you. There are variations on this theme. Just remember that nearly half of all invertebrates are active at night. I recommend collecting on campus for the sake of safety.

Likely invertebrates: Noctuid moths, wolf spiders, fishing spiders, jumping spiders--miscellaneous unusual beetles, dipterans, and hemipterans.

These are simply hanging containers with a combination of molasses, fruit juice, brown sugar and karo syrup. The mixture may be smeared directly onto trees as well. If you feel adventurous, you may try sugaring a site and seeing what shows up.

Likely invertebrates: moths, butterflies, miscellaneous beetles, dipterans, and hemipterans.

A sweep net is the preferred tool to capture field-dwelling invertebrates. Unlike the lightweight aerial net, used to catch butterflies, a sweep net is usually made of a heavier material like white muslin or canvas. These nets are especially effective during the summer and fall. As the name suggests, a sweep net sweeps along the top of the vegetation. To get a good sample of the residents, you should repeat the sweep about twenty or thirty times in a small area. It is also good to perform the sweeps during different hours of the day and night since the daily activity patterns of various invertebrates is likely to be very different.

This is a simple but effective instrument for collecting invertebrates found on tree and overhanging vegetation. It is a square piece of white cotton sheeting with two dowels that form a diagonal cross. This large sheet is placed under the branch of interest while the branch is shaken or tapped with a stick. This will dislodge many species of invertebrates and force them onto the sheet. Many of these species may be extremely cryptic on vegetation and would otherwise be difficult to locate through hand collecting.

This is a particularly effective means of collecting lotic (stream-dwelling) invertebrates. Usually kick nets are rectangular or triangular with one edge straight that allows the net to be placed flat on the substrate. While the net is placed on the bottom of the stream, the collector (or a friend who enjoys standing in rivers with their shoes on) stands upstream of the net and turns, shakes, boogies, or mambos in front of the net to loosen the substrate. Invertebrates will then be washed downstream into the net.

A final word about collecting: the two methods that may render the best results in the shortest amount of time are kick nets and sweep nets. As a general rule, collect earlier in the semester and collect at different times to maximize collecting different specimens. Bring a collecting buddy. Have fun. I will be head-lamping for wolf spiders at different times during the semester. Feel free to come along to try this collecting method.

The manner of preservation is at least as important as actually collecting the specimens (and counts toward your grade too!). Invertebrates are collected and preserved for a variety of reasons. They may be used to help identify new species, orders, even phyla. Once identified, these preserved specimens can be used as a reference "library" for matching and identifying unknown specimens. Zoologists also gather evidence of evolutionary relationships by analyzing preserved zoological material. Field biologists sometimes collect and preserve many individuals of a species being studied. These "voucher" specimens are used for the official identification of organisms being studied in the field.

There are two basic methods for preserving invertebrate specimens for future study. The dry method of preservation can be used for hard-bodied invertebrates, such as insects (but NEVER spiders), some hard coral, barnacle theca (housing), some sponges. Dry preserved specimens should be stored on Naptha material (mothballs) to prevent insects from scavenging on the specimens. They should also be stored in a dark, dust-free environment safe from jarring or crushing. The wet preservation technique involves storing specimens in alcohol, formalin, or some other liquid preservation material. The wet method has the advantages of being free of damage from mold or pests. However, wet preservation tends to fade colors of most specimens. In general, it is better to use the wet method when possible.

In the past, entomologists used killing jars with a small amount of ethyl acetate, carbon tetrachloride, or other nasty poison. However, due to environmental concerns, safety concerns, and the well-being of the specimen, the best method of dispatching insects (and most other temperate and tropical species of invertebrates) is by freezing. After the specimens have been collected, they can be transported home or to the lab in a plastic zip-lock bag or paper envelopes (which are used for butterflies, moths, and large-winged invertebrates). The specimens are then carefully placed into a portion of the freezer where they will not be damaged. Do not leave invertebrates in the freezer for prolonged periods of time since this may damage the specimen. Freeze them only long enough to render them immobile. They may then be placed in a solution of 70% ethanol/30% water. Specimens placed in 100% ethanol tend to become brittle and lose limbs when removed from the vial for inspection. Less than 70% ethanol may result in mold, bacteria, or even algae taking over the vial.

Over the years, I have acquired a number of taxonomic keys to identify various invertebrates. I wish I had more. Most are very expensive (much like your textbooks) and are currently out of print. As such, be very gentle with them since they are from my personal reference library--not the campus library. Anyone found to remove these texts from the laboratory will be placed in a large vat of 70% ethanol, labeled, and sent to the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology as a voucher specimen of Homo sapien.

Each key has strengths and weaknesses. Here are my recommendations for using them.

1. Ross H. Arnett, Jr. 1993. AMERICAN INSECTS.

This key is considered the authority on proper classification of terrestrial insects in our course. It is also the most exhaustive and most expensive. I got it as a birthday present (testament to nerdom). Some of the keys are difficult to use, because all insects, rare and common, are identified, and there are not many pictures. However, if your insect isn't in this book, you probably won't be able to identify it.

2. R. Bland & H. Jaques. 1978. HOW TO KNOW THE INSECTS, 3rd ed.

This is probably the *key of choice* for insects. Its many pictures make it very easy to use. Caveat: you will need to check your ID's for Hemiptera, Homoptera, and Lepidoptera with the Arnett Key to make sure the names haven't changed.

3. R. Merrit & K. Cummins. 1996. AQUATIC INSECTS OF NORTH AMERICA, 3rd ed.

The classic key to both adult and immature aquatic insects, with many illustrations. This key is considered the authority on proper classification of aquatic insects in our course. You can key specimens out to species with this text, but do NOT spend time going past family level for our course-unless you have lots of extra time on your hands. Students really like this book, since it has picture keys and is very well illustrated with color plates. Caveat: Be careful that you follow the lines and arrows in the picture keys correctly.

4. D.M. Lehmkuhl.1979. HOW TO KNOW THE AQUATIC INSECTS

A good, clear, easy to use taxonomic key that covers most of what you are likely to find. A good fall-back text to the Merrit & Cummins book.

5. F. Stehr. 1996. IMMATURE INSECTS, vol. 1 & 2.

The best key to families of immature insects, with many illustrations. However, like Arnett, some of the keys are difficult to use, because all immatures, rare and common, are identified.

6. Arnett, Ross, N.M. Downie, H.E. Jaques. 1980. How to know the beetles. A good introductory key for beetle enthusiasts

7. Meyer, J. 1985. ORDERS OF IMMATURE INSECTS.

This is a quick and easy way to I.D. immatures to order. It is not always 100% right, but pretty close, and usually painless. It is xeroxed in the KEY FILE.

There are other keys to insects in the lab; these are useful for looking up family descriptions, and finding pictures of anatomy specific to certain orders. You may use the picture books (Audubon guides, etc.) of butterflies and moths to identify specimens, but be aware that this is done at your own risk.

Always confirm a picture book I.D. with a proper key.

8. Petarsky, B., et. al. 1990. FRESHWATER MACROINVERTEBRATES OF NORTHEASTERN NORTH AMERICA.

A well illustrated key, with very small print.

KEYS TO FAMILIES OF SPIDERS: Being an arachnologist, I have lots of these keys. How to know the spiders is the easiest to use.

It is important to READ THE WHOLE COUPLET, as often obvious hints are at the end (for example: "found only in caves of the desert southwest; 6 cm long").

1. Kaston, B. 1978. HOW TO KNOW THE SPIDERS, 3rd ed .

This book is the best in terms of pictures and easy to understand couplets.

3. Levi, H. & L. Levi. 1990. Spiders And Their Kin. A Golden Guide.

Not a key, but very nice color pictures and diagrams of spider "faces."

4. J. Emerton. 1961. The common spiders of the United States.

Not a key, but does have very helpful pictures of the eye patterns.

Kinchin, I.M. 1994. The Biology of Tardigrades. This is not an exhaustive key and only covers a few of the common species--but it will help you distinguish between a tardigrade and a non-tardigrade.

M.D. Sonin. Helminths of Insects. 1987. A good introduction to some of the invertebrate parasites of insects. A good starting point for parasites that you are more likely to encounter (i.e. acanthocephala, nematomorpha, nematoda).

Edward B. Cutler. 1994. The Sipuncula: their systematics, biology, and evolution. If you happen to be at the beach and run across a Sipuncula--I actually have the only current key available for this odd-ball phyla.

Field guides: I have the complete set of National Audobon Society field guides. These are NOT keys, but may be sufficient for a general identification.

Do you have a fossil invertebrate that you would like to include in your collection? If so, let me know. I have several taxonomic keys and field guides to fossil invertebrates--especially crinoids, brachiopods, bryozoa, and gastropods.

Time and Place: 12:30-4:30 W Fisher 202.

Instructor: Dr. Matt Persons

Contact Information

(570) 372-4526

Email: persons@susqu.edu

Internet: http://www.susqu.edu/FacStaff/p/persons/Inverthomepage.htm

Reference Text: Invertebrate Zoology Laboratory Manual Matt Persons

• To introduce students to the diversity of animals without backbones and understand the evolutionary relationships and taxonomic classification of animals as currently understood.

LABORATORY: will introduce the student to the diversity of invertebrate phyla and subgroups, with emphasis on form and function of morphology, organ systems, etc. There is one 4 hour lab each week (14 in all). Most of these labs involve dissections, of preserved material, microscopic examination of prepared slides, demonstrations, and observation of living marine animals. In addition, students will organize an invertebrate collection based on local fauna.

GRADING: The laboratory grade is based on 4 laboratory practicals each worth 50 points each (200 points) and one invertebrate collection (100 points). The laboratory practicals will ask you to identify invertebrates taxonomically, as well as structures related to particular invertebrate groups. See the handout on the invertebrate collection for more details regarding grading.

Attendance: You are required to attend class. Not doing so will have a large negative impact on your grade (obviously).

The following is a calendar for the laboratory portion of the course. It is not written in stone and may be subject to change by the instructor (and perhaps by you too, depending on interests regarding particular phyla).