Etymology of some names of traps applied in the studies of small mammals

Mouse-like rodents and shrews are among the traditional objects in zoological and ecological studies. Such work often involves capturing animals, which can be carried out by many methods, but the type of used tools can be only divided into three main ones: pitfall traps, live traps and snap traps. In the latter case, different designs of mousetraps are applied. This method, though not without drawbacks, is widespread because of its simplicity and availability. It has been used in science for more than a century, so many variants of snap traps have been developed to date. There are different terms for their designation in Russian. There is no complete correspondence between the names and designs of traps in Russia and abroad, which makes it difficult for researchers to understand each other. All this does not contribute to the standardization of the method and the comparability of the results obtained by different authors. The aim of this study was to clarify the etymology of Russian-language names and the history of the development of lethal traps for small rodents and shrews in zoological studies. The work is based on the analysis of scientific literature in Russian and in English. The results are presented in sections, each of which being devoted to one of the names of traps (See Fig. 1-14). Although the aim of the work was to clarify the origin of Russian terms, their analysis in isolation from the rest of the world was absolutely impossible. Therefore, the results include both Russian-language and the related English-language words: “myshelovka” [mouse trap], “plashka” [flat snap trap], “davilka” [flat snap trap], “gil'otinka” [guillotine], “Gero” [Hero trap], “koridorchik” [choker].The meaning of some Russian names of mousetraps found in zoological publications is not obvious to English-speaking readers without special explanations that are given in this work. Parallels in the evolution of mousetrap design in Russia and other countries were revealed. Facts of borrowing and russification of English names were discovered. Conclusions were made aimed at the unification of terms and designs of traps used in Russian zoological works. The words “davilka” and “plashka” denote automatic mechanical devices of single action designed to catch rodents and shrews by a strike. Both words are a complete analogue of the English “flat snap trap” or “snap trap”. Since the name “davilka” has a broader meaning and is used more often in the scientific literature in Russian, it is recommended to use it for the sake of unification. To indicate the mechanism of action of the “davilka”, it is necessary to clarify whether it is a snap trap with a hook or a snap trap with a treadle as a trigger. When it is possible to choose, it is recommended to give preference to the snap trap with a treadle, as it is closer to the samples used worldwide. In addition, traps with a treadle are more effective, as they can work even without bait. Currently, the name “Gero” (Hero trap) may indicate snap traps of different designs, so its further use is impractical. The “stul'chik” trap is an L-shaped variety of a wire snap trap. The trap “koridorchik” (choker) is an independent type of mousetrap and does not belong to the kind of “davilka” (snap trap). In most Russian works published in English, lethal mechanical mousetraps are called “snap trap” regardless of the design features. The paper systematizes the Russian names of lethal mechanical mousetraps taking into account their designs and classification used in English-language scientific works. Depending on the type of traps, Russian researchers are encouraged to employ the following terms: “flat snap trap with a treadle” (See Fig. 7), “flat snap trap with a hook” (See Fig. 10), “wire snap trap with a treadle” (See Fig. 12b), “wire snap trap with a hook” (See Fig. 12a) and “L-shaped wire snap trap” (See Fig. 11). The paper contains 14 Figures and 56 References.

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