Knowledge of population dynamics is critical for species of conservation concern so wildlife researchers need to take advantage of biases in animals' behaviors that could help them monitor populations. This is particularly important for amphibians because many populations are declining and difficult to observe. Attraction of vertebrates to light is a well‐known navigational cue and some fisheries strategies utilize light sources to increase catch success. To optimize population monitoring of state‐endangered eastern tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum), we tested the utility of colored glow sticks (green, orange, pink, or yellow) as bait in traps in Maryland and Delaware, USA, during 2015–2016. We then measured intensities of the colored glow sticks and estimated photoreceptive quantum catches of each color according to the spectral sensitivities of eastern tiger salamanders. We found that eastern tiger salamanders' photoreceptors had greater quantum catches of photons from green and yellow glow sticks. However, traps baited with orange glow sticks were more than twice as likely to capture eastern tiger salamanders than were traps baited with green or yellow. There were no differences in the number of salamanders caught per successful trap among glow stick colors, perhaps due to attraction of salamanders to motion from previously captured salamanders. Our results indicate that biases other than perceived intensity of light sources may drive behavioral preferences. © 2020 The Wildlife Society.

中文翻译：

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正确的光线：老虎Sal的捕获率和光谱灵敏度

了解种群动态对保护物种至关重要，因此野生动植物研究者需要利用动物行为的偏见来帮助他们监测种群。这对于两栖动物尤其重要，因为许多人口正在减少且难以观察。脊椎动物对光的吸引是众所周知的航行提示，并且某些渔业策略利用光源来提高捕捞的成功率。优化对处于国家濒危状态的东部虎sal（Ambystoma tigrinum）的种群监测），我们在2015年至2016年期间测试了有色荧光棒（绿色，橙色，粉红色或黄色）作为诱饵在美国马里兰州和特拉华州的陷阱中的效用。然后，我们根据东部虎sal的光谱敏感性，测量了彩色荧光棒的强度并估计了每种颜色的光感受态量子捕获量。我们发现东部老虎sal的感光器具有来自绿色和黄色荧光棒的更多光子量子捕获。但是，用橙色荧光棒诱饵捕获的陷阱捕获东部老虎sal的可能性是用绿色或黄色诱饵捕获的陷阱的两倍以上。在荧光棒颜色之间，每个成功陷阱捕获的sal的数量没有差异，这可能是由于sal被先前捕获的sal吸引而引起的。我们的结果表明，除了感知到的光源强度外，其他偏见可能会驱动行为偏好。©2020野生动物协会。