could result in excessive marking mortality, 

 A further consideration is that each operation 

 be properly equipped from the standpoint of 

 shrimp-holding devices, staining facilities, 

 etc., and that this equipment be suited to the 

 conditions under which the operation is to be 

 conducted. Probably most important is correct 

 handling of stain solutions. Recommended 

 amounts of stain to be injected into shrimp 

 of various sizes are given as a general guide. 

 Under field conditions, these amounts can 

 only be approximated as staining usually 

 proceeds very rapidly. Of the three vital dyes 

 found most suitable for marking shrimp, fast 

 green FCF and Trypan blue are preferable 

 to Trypan red because they provide a distinc- 

 tive mark. Fast green FCF is ideally suited 

 for small shrimp because it is noticeably 

 less toxic than the others. Stain solutions 

 should always be freshly prepared and filtered. 

 Sterile, double-distilled water is the recom- 

 mended stain solvent. 



During the staining operation, excessive 

 handling of shrimp and air bubbles in syringes 

 should be avoided. Accurate insertion of the 

 hypodermic needle is essential. 



Release of marked shrimp should be delayed 

 at least 4 hours after the stain solution is 

 injected so that specimens not recovering from 

 the shock of handling and staining may be 

 eliminated. Marked specimens should be re- 

 leased in such a way that excessive predation 

 is avoided as they disperse. 



CONt>J, HAROLD J. 



1923. The preparation of staining solutions. 

 Science, vol. 57, p. 15-16. 



1950. Stains and staining. In McClung's 

 Handbook of Microscopical Technique, 

 R, M, Jones (editor), 3d ed,, rev. & enl,. 

 Chapter III, p. 92. Paul B. Hoeber, 

 Inc., New York. 



COSTELLO, THOMAS J. 



1959. Marking shrimp with biological 

 stains. Proceedings of the Gulf and 

 Caribbean Fisheries Institute, 11th 

 Annual Session, 1958, p. 1-6. 



COSTELLO, T. J., and DONALD M. ALLEN. 



1960. Notes on the migration and growth 

 of pink shrimp (Penaeus duorarum). Pro- 

 ceedings of the Gulf and Caribbean 

 Fisheries Institute, 12th Annual Ses- 

 sion, 1959, p. 5-9. 



CULLING, C. F. A. 



1957. Handbook of histopathological tech- 

 nique. Butterworth and Co. Publishers 

 Ltd., London, p. 128-137. 



DAWSON, C. E. 



1957. Studies on marking of commercial 

 shrimp with biological stains. U.S. 

 Fish and Wildlife Service, Special Scien- 

 tific Report — Fisheries No. 231, 23 p. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENT 



The writer is grateful to Donald M, AUen, 

 Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, Miami, Fla,; 

 Albert Jones, University of Miami; and Charles 

 E. Dawson, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, 

 for helpful suggestions during preparation of 

 the manuscript. 



LITERATURE CITED 



ALLEN, DONALD M., and T. J. COSTELLO. 

 1962. Grading large numbers of live shrimp 

 for marking experiments. U.S. Fish 

 and Wildlife Service, Progressive Fish- 

 Culturist, vol. 24, no. 1 (January), p. 

 46-48, 



DESYLVA, DONALD P. 



1954. The live bait shrimp fishery of the 

 northeast coast of Florida. Florida 

 State Board of Conservation Technical 

 Series No. 1 1, 35 p, 



DUMONT, WILLIAM H., and G. T. SUND- 

 STROM. 

 1961. Commercial fishing gear of the United 

 States. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 

 Circular 109, p. 36. 



EVANS, HERBERT M., and WERNER SCHULE- 

 MANN. 

 1914. The action of vital stains belonging 

 to the benzidine group. Science, vol, 

 39, p. 443-454. 



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