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Surely one doesn't always require a permanent mount (the primary argument against Berlese as I see it)? I'm rather surprised to hear that Balsam is used by contemporary professionals. I would have expected various of the proprietary synthetic resins to prove more popular; the expense being less of an obstacle for non-amateurs.

If I may, is there a particular reason you elect to macerate at room temperature? I've found a certain degree of difficulty in obtaining satisfactory consistency when using a hydroxide macerating solution over a period of more than a few hours, too often finding species too weakly or heavily macerated. I nearly always employ an incubator to maintain a temperature of 50-70 degrees to speed the process so that I may actively monitor the results.

I take it the portions likely to be dissected vary depending on the features unique to species?