A New Stratified Aquatic Sampling Technique for Aquatic Vertebrates

We developed a new type of passive-sampling minnow trap that enables aquatic sampling at depths of up to 70 cm without drowning obligate air-breathers. The trap demonstrated a heightened ability to capture bottom-dwelling animals that may otherwise be underrepresented by other trapping methodologies. The success rate of this new trap, relative to conventional minnow traps, seems to vary across wetlands and seasons. After 502 trap-nights with the new trap and 870 trap-nights with minnow traps at three wetlands, we present data for three species of permanently aquatic salamanders, seven species of aquatic snakes, and four species of fishes.