This volume is based on prec'entations at the conference on Culture of Marine Invertebrate Animals which was held in Green port, New York in October, 1972. The conference was sponsored by the Middle Atlantic Natural Sciences Council, Inc., a non profit educational corporation, together with the Marine Science Centers of Adelphi University, the State University of New York at Stony Brook, Long Island University, Suffolk County Community College, and the Shelter Island Oyster Company. The purpose of the conference was to provide a needed ex change of knowledge among scientists of various specialties whose information would be invaluable to others confronted with similar problems, even with different marine animals. Part I considers supportive techniques -- general isolation and culture methods, problems of disease and feeding. Specific techniques employed in the culture of a wide range of invertebrate organisms is covered in Part II. We want to thank the contributors for their cooperation in preparing the manuscripts based on their conference presentations. Walter L. Smith Matoira H. Chanley v Contents PART I Recirculating System Culture Methods for Marine Organisms .............•.

I started insect cell culture work in 1962, when T. D. C. Grace reported the first establishment of invertebrate continuous cell lines. He obtained grow ing cells from pupal ovaries of the emperor gum moth, Antheraea euca lypti. At that time, I was trying to obtain growing cells from leafhoppers. Grace's method could not be applied directly to my culture because of the differences in species, the size of the insects, and the tissue to be cul tured. The vertebrate tissue culture methods gave me some ideas for pre paring cultures from leafhoppers, but those could not be used directly either. There were no textbooks and no manuals for invertebrate tissue culture, so I had to develop a method by myself. First, I considered what type and what size of vessels are suitable for insect tissue culture. Also, I had to look for suitable materials to construct the culture vessels. Sec ond, I had to examine various culture media, especially growth-promot ing substances, such as sera. Then I had to improve culture media by trial and error. The procedure to set up a primary culture was also a problem. How could I sterilize materials? How could I remove tissues from a tiny insect? How many tissues should I pool in order to set up one culture? I had to find out the answers. Naturally, it took a lot of time.