Occasionally it may be necessary to turn to other references to make an identification with a greater degree of certainty. It should also be remembered that many groups have not been studied sufficiently, and the reader may have material that adds to or contradicts previously recorded data. It is hoped that this fieldguide will stimulate other biologists to contribute to our knowledge of Florida freshwater mollusks. The reader will discover how very little we know about any genus occurring in Florida. A principal difficulty encountered in the identification of snail specimens arises from improper methods used to prepare them.
Adequate preservation begins when the specimens are collected.
Live snails for shell studies should be preserved in 70 percent alcohol. Never preserve specimens in formalin. Formalin will corrode the shell and thereby alter color, delicate sculpture, and the periostracum. It may be desirable to save some specimens for anatomical studies. This is essential in the case of the Hydrobiidae.