A modified trap design for sampling subterranean habitats for central Texas Eurycea salamanders

By

Jones, Ryan
Adcock, Zachary
Maclaren, Andrew
White, Kemble

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2024

Original Publication

Subterranean Biology

Volume

50

Pages

53--64

Subjects

Active trap , Amphibian sampling , Karst Biology , Leaf litter trap , Salado Salamander , stygofauna , threatened species

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.50.136402

 

Abstract

In this paper, we describe modifications to a sampling technique for surface, stream-dwelling salamanders for use in subterranean settings. Leaf litter bags are an effective and commonly used trap for salamanders, and their construction purposefully allows animals to move freely in and out of the trap. However, this presents a problem in subterranean deployment because retrieving the trap over long vertical distances, such as well sampling, allows time and space for the animals to escape. To overcome this challenge, we enclosed a leaf litter bag in a suspended net system contained by a lanyard to sample a 3-meter deep well. Our trap modifications resulted in the live capture of adult and immature federally threatened Salado Salamanders (Eurycea chisholmensis) from the well in addition to aquatic invertebrates. This represents a novel trapping technique within a habitat system for which stygofauna sampling options are limited.