Dissecting Dishes

Quick Answer: Dissecting dishes are small, fairly deep dishes in which small specimens are pinned and dissected, usually under water or saline. The liquid supports soft tissues so that nerves, gut and other fine structures float apart and can be seen clearly.

Why Small Dissections Are Done Under Water

In air, the soft tissues of a small animal collapse into a sticky mass. Covered with water or saline, the same tissues float and separate, so the nerve cord of an insect or the gut of an earthworm can be teased out and followed. A dissecting dish is sized for this work: deep enough to cover the specimen, and small enough to sit under a hand lens or a stereo microscope.

Many such dishes have a layer of wax in the base to hold pins. The listing does not state the material of the dish or whether a wax base is fitted; dishes of this kind are made in glass, enamelled metal and plastic. Where there is no wax, pins can be anchored in a small cork mat placed in the dish.

Compared with a dissecting tray, the dish holds less liquid and suits one small specimen per student, while trays are larger and suit bigger specimens or a pair of students.

Applications

• Dissection of insects, small crustaceans and earthworms under water
• Following the nerve cord and gut of preserved specimens under a stereo microscope
• Holding flowers or aquatic plants in water while their parts are separated
• Keeping small organs submerged while they are examined

Specifications

Care & Handling

• Pour off used water or saline carefully, keeping tissue out of the sink, and dispose of animal material as your lab’s waste policy requires.
• Wash dishes in warm water and detergent, but not in very hot water if they have a wax base, which softens.
• Store glass dishes nested with paper between them to protect the rims from chipping.

Why Choose LabEquip

Dissecting dishes suit colleges and schools that dissect small specimens under the microscope and want one dish per student. LabEquip lists them with the dissecting board and trays in its Biology Lab Products range.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why dissect small specimens under water?

Water supports soft tissues so they float apart instead of collapsing together, making fine structures such as nerves and gut much easier to see and separate.

Should I use water or saline?

For preserved specimens, tap water is usually adequate. Saline is used for fresh tissue, because it keeps cells from swelling as quickly as they would in plain water.

Can the dish be used under a stereo microscope?

Yes. Small dishes of this kind are made to sit on the stage of a stereo microscope or under a hand lens while the specimen is dissected.

How do I add a wax base to a dish?

Melt paraffin wax gently in a water bath, pour a layer a few millimetres deep into the dish and let it set flat. Some teachers darken the wax so that pale tissues stand out.

How is a dissecting dish different from a Petri dish?

A Petri dish is shallow and made for growing microbes. The dissecting type is deeper, holds enough liquid to cover a specimen and often has a wax base for pins.

What waste precautions apply after dissection?

Strain the liquid to catch tissue, dispose of animal material according to your lab’s waste policy, and disinfect the dish before washing.

Last Updated: September 2026