The couple of Carabid aedeagi that I've dissected thus far seem much softer and easily damaged than the (relatively few) other beetles I've examined. I will need to adjust my technique I suppose.

1) soak male specimen in full strength ammonia solution for 10 min;
2) drop into cup of near boiling distilled water (+ detergent drop);
3) maintain hot temperature in small styrofoam container for 25 min;
4) drop specimen again into ammonia for 10 min;
5) remove excess water by dabbing abdominal apex with tissue paper;
6) hold specimen with L forefinger & thumb (abdomen toward thumb);
7) view abdomen aperture under scope for early hint of φ apex;
8) with very fine jewelers forceps gently expand aperture;
9) also gradual probing toward all quadrant sides, not toward center;
10) emphasis of aperture expansion is toward its right side;
11) eventually grab φ tissue capsule deep at its right side;
12) gently pull outward from its right side in gradual increments.
13) grabbing too deep may dismember abdomen;
14) grabbing too shallow may damage the φ.

I don't save specimens so I tend to be overly careless.

then you must be working with freshly killed beetles that are already relatively relaxed so dissection ought not to be that challenging. Still, I recommend pulling φ capsule from its right side in all cases.

I now recall that the specimens you don't save were sent to me in the past. That would be great on a select basis for the more interesting ones in the future. Thanks.

I think it keyed out cleanly but don't know if there are others here not included in Bousquet. Closeups taken through my compound microscope wit fiber optic guide.

Thanks

I've mainly sent insects to Brad Barnd. I'm taking a break from saving things at the moment but since I got Bousquet's book I've been hanging onto carabids till I get a chance to try and key them. If you see something you want, I'll save it for you.