A simple technique for trapping Siren lacertina, Amphiuma means, and other aquatic vertebrates

Abstract/Summary

We describe a commercially-available funnel trap for sampling aquatic vertebrates. The traps can be used in heavily vegetated wetlands and can be set in water up to 60 cm deep without concern for drowning the animals. They were especially useful for capturing the aquatic salamanders Siren lacertina and Amphiuma means, which have been difficult to capture with traditional sampling methods. They were also effective for sampling small fishes, particularly centrachids, and larval anurans. In total, 14 species of amphibians, nine species of aquatic reptiles, and at least 32 fish species were captured. The trap we describe differs significantly from funnel traps (e.g., minnow traps) and holds great promise for studies of small, aquatic vertebrates, in particular Siren and Amphiuma species.

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