Funnel trapping yields largely unbiased sampling of crested and marbled newts (genus <i>Triturus</i>)

Amphibian populations are increasingly sampled with traps instead of the traditional dipnet, because of high yields at a comparatively low workload. Observations on sympatric newt species in the west of France uncovered a size effect in which the larger species Triturus cristatus and T. marmoratus were more frequently captured than the smaller species Lissotriton helveticus and L. vulgaris . The small juveniles of T. cristatus and the large Triturus interspecies hybrids fitted this series. The lightweight, collapsable, and easy to clean funnel traps here employed are useful for population studies because, due to a high capture efficiency, sampling biases can accurately be quantified and be accounted for.