80% ethanol is used to preserve the sample.
A sample of this is put into Nitric acid to make the slide (this dissolves any organic material attached)
This is then washed with water and ethanol to leave the spicules behind (skeletal structure of a sponge)
A thick mount of fresh tissue is made in order to get a 3D view. Seeing how the spicules are put together can give us more information. A more powerful microscope can be used to give more information too.
Gems from the scientists:
The work from others before helps us immensely today (prior sponge identifications)
Looking in a microscope is amazing
There are still a lot of identified sponges in our oceans
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