@article {53110,
	title = {Marking by elytral clip changes stridulatory characteristics and reduces reproduction in the American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus},
	journal = {Journal of Insect Conservation},
	volume = {19},
	year = {2015},
	month = {Jan-02-2015},
	pages = {155 - 162},
	abstract = {<p>Some insects produce and use sound during multiple behaviors including many aspects of reproduction. Variation in call structure depends on the evolved mor- phological structures used to produce the sound and encode function. Beetles in the genus Nicrophorus produce strid- ulation by rubbing plectra, located on the ventral side of the elytra, against a pars stridens, located on the caudal end on the fourth and fifth abdominal segment in females and males, respectively. During field surveys for the endan- gered N. americanus, survey crews have historically used a small V-shaped notch cut in the caudal end of the right elytron to serves as a permanent marking method. No study, however, has examined the effect of this marking technique on the characters of stridulation or consequences<br />
	for reproductive behavior and fitness. Here we show that one temporal and one spectral character of sound change significantly following elytron clipping, and that repro- ductive success is significantly decreased in all breedings in which a parent beetle is elytron-clipped. We recommend replacement of this marking technique with non-invasive methods to ensure conservation of this endangered species.</p>
},
	keywords = {bioacoustics, Elytron clipping, Marking technique, Nicrophorus americanus, stridulation},
	issn = {1366-638X},
	doi = {10.1007/s10841-015-9755-8},
	url = {http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10841-015-9755-8},
	author = {Hall, Carrie L. and Howard, Daniel R. and Smith, Rosemary J. and Mason, Andrew C.}
}
