Unveiling Escape and Capture Rates of Aquatic Snakes and Salamanders (Siren spp. and Amphiuma means) in Commercial Funnel Traps
John D. Willson, Christopher T. Winne, and Luke A. Fedewaa
University of Georgia, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory PO Drawer
E, Aiken, South Carolina 29802 USA
E-mail (JDW): willson@srel.edu
ABSTRACT
Aquatic funnel trapping with commercially available minnow traps has proven
effective for sampling several aquatic snake species. However, the efficacy
of this technique for sampling snakes has received little controlled evaluation.
We investigated the ability of aquatic snakes to escape from three funnel
trap varieties (cylindrical steel, cylindrical plastic, and rectangular
collapsible nylon mesh). We found that when
intentionally released into traps, the majority (74%) of snakes escaped
within 24 hours. Snakes escaped most frequently from collapsible traps,
and of the species tested, Seminatrix pygaea escaped most frequently.
We found significant differences in capture rates among trap types for
S. pygaea, Farancia abacura (both captured most in plastic traps),
and Nerodia fasciata (captured most in steel traps). Additionally,
as we captured many large aquatic salamanders (Siren spp. and
Amphiuma means), we also report trapping efficacies of the funnel
traps for these amphibians.
SREL Reprint #2868
Willson, J. D., C. T. Winne and L. A. Fedewa. 2005. Unveiling escape and capture rates of aquatic snakes and salamanders (Siren spp. and Amphiuma means) in commercial funnel traps. Journal of Freshwater Ecology 20:397-404.
