title: The underwater acoustic activities of the red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii.
abstract: This study describes the underwater acoustic behavior of the red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii. The study was conducted both in a tank and in the natural environment. The tank was equipped with video and acoustic recording systems. Observations were conducted to identify the underwater acoustic signals produced and their association with behavioral events and the movement status of the animals. In a lake in a natural reserve, a remote acoustic recording station was used to study the circadian underwater acoustic activity of the crayfish and to assess the acoustic features of the signals. The red swamp crayfish produces irregular trains of wide-band pulses (duration 0.4 ms, SPL(PK) 128 dB re 1 μPa, peak frequency 28 kHz, bandwidth(RMS) 20 kHz). The production of signals is positively related to intraspecific interactions (encounter/approach, fighting and successive Tail Flips). In the natural environment, acoustic activity is almost absent during the day, increases abruptly at sunset and continues until dawn. This study reveals the previously unknown underwater acoustic signals of Procambarus clarkii and the potential of passive acoustic methods to monitor the presence, the abundance and the behavioral activities of this invasive species.
authors.affiliation: CNR, Istituto per l'Ambiente Marino Costiero UOS Capo Granitola, Via del Faro No. 3, 91021 Torretta Granitola (TP), Italy. giuseppa.buscaino@cnr.it
authors.forename: Giuseppa
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buscaino
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Filiciotto
authors.forename: Gaspare
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buffa
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Stefano
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Maccarrone
authors.forename: Carmelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Buscaino
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mazzola
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alonge
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: D'Angelo
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Maccarrone
mesh_terms: D000162:Acoustics; D000819:Animal Communication; D000818:Animals; D003400:Astacoidea / Q000502:physiology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D007101:Immersion; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D012919:Social Behavior; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D013997:Time Factors; D014741:Video Recording; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water