Selected

 

Full list here


  • Reviews
  • Stuart-Fox DM, Ng L, Elgar MA, Hölttä-Otto K, Schröder-Turk GE Voelcker NH, Watson GS, Watson JA (2023) Bio-informed materials: three guiding principles for innovation informed by biology. Nature Reviews Materials 8: 565–567
  • Stuart-Fox DM, Ng L, Barner L, Blamires SJ, Elgar MA, Franklin A, Hölttä-Otto K, Hutchison JA, Jativa F, Jessop A-L, Kelley J, McGaw J, Mei J, Mirkhalaf M, Musameh M, Neto C, O’Connor AJ, Schork T, Schröder-Turk GE Voelcker NH, Wang A, Watson GS, Watson JA, Wesemann L, Wong WWH (2023) Bioinformed sustainable materials: current challenges and opportunities for innovation. Communications Materials 4: 80
  • Pugnale A, Stuart-Fox D, Elgar MA, Laschi C, Dumanli AG (2022) Editorial: Biologically informed approaches to design processes and applications, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 10: 1090859
  • Ng L, Elgar MA, Stuart-Fox D (2021) From bioinspired to bioinformed: benefits of greater engagement from biologists. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 9: 790270
  • Elgar MA, Johnson TL, Symonds, MRE (2019) Sexual selection and organs of sense: Darwin’s neglected insight. Animal Biology 69: 63–82
  • Elgar MA, Zhang D, Wang Q, Wittwer B, Pham H, Johnson TL, Freelance CB, Coquilleau M (2018) Insect antennal morphology: the evolution of diverse solutions to odorant perception. Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine 91: 457–469
  • Hopkins GR, Gaston KJ, Visser ME, Elgar MA and Jones TM (2018) Artificial light at night as a potential agent of evolutionary change across the urban-rural landscape. Frontiers in Ecology and Environment 16: 1–8
  • Fine C, Elgar MA (2017) Promiscuous men, chaste women and other gender myths. Scientific American 317 (3): 34–37
  • Henneken J, Goodger JQD, Jones TM, Elgar MA (2017) Diet-mediated pheromones and signature mixtures can enforce signal reliability. Frontiers in Ecology & Evolution 4: 145
  • Elgar MA (2015) Integrating insights across diverse taxa: challenges for understanding social evolution. Frontiers in Ecology & Evolution 3: 124
  • Peso M, Elgar MA, Barron AB (2015) Pheromonal control: reconciling physiological mechanism with signalling theory. Biological Reviews 90: 542–559
  • Clode D, Elgar MA (2014) Fighting fire with fire: does a policy of prescribed broadscale burning improve community safety? Society & Natural Resources 27: 1192-1199
  • Elgar, MA, Jones TM, McNamara KB (2013) Promiscuous words. Frontiers in Zoology 10: 66
  • van Wilgenburg E, Elgar MA (2013) Confirmation bias in studies of nestmate recognition: a cautionary note for research into the behaviour of animals. PLoS One 8: e53548
  • Walter A, Elgar MA (2012) The evolution of novel animal signals: silk decorations as a model system. Biological Reviews 87: 686-700
  • Wilder SM, Rypstra AL, Elgar MA (2009) The importance of ecological and phylogenetic conditions for the occurrence and frequency of sexual cannibalism. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution & Systematics 40: 21–39
  • Symonds MRE, Elgar MA (2008) The evolution of pheromone diversity. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 23: 220–228
  • Elgar MA (2004) Polyandry, sperm competition and sexual conflict. In: The Behavior of Animals: Mechanisms, Function & Evolution (JJ Boluis, L-A Giraldeau, eds.), pp. 272–293. Blackwells, London
  • Elgar MA, Schneider JM (2004) The evolutionary significance of sexual cannibalism. Advances in the Study of Behaviour 34: 135–163
  • Elgar MA, Clode D (2001) Inbreeding and extinctions in island populations: a cautionary note. Conservation Biology 15: 284–286
  • Herberstein ME, Craig CL, Coddington JA, Elgar MA (2000) The functional significance of silk decorations of orb–web spiders: a critical review of the empirical evidence. Biological Reviews 75: 649–669
  • Archer MS, Elgar MA (1999) Female preference for multiple partners: sperm competition in the hide beetle, Dermestes maculatus. Animal Behaviour 58: 669–675
  • Elgar MA (1998) Sexual selection and sperm competition in arachnids. In: Sperm competition & sexual selection (TR Birkhead, AP Møller, eds.), pp. 307–337. Academic Press
  • Alatalo RV, Mappes J, Elgar MA (1997) Heritabilities and paradigm shifts. Nature 385, 402–403
  • Elgar MA (1995) Duration of copulation in spiders: comparative patterns. Records of the Western Australian Museum (Supplement) 51, 1 – 11
  • Elgar MA (1993) Inter–specific associations involving spiders. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 33, 411–430
  • Elgar MA (1992) Sexual cannibalism in spiders and other invertebrates. In: Cannibalism: ecology & evolution among diverse taxa (MA Elgar, BJ Crespi, eds.), pp. 129–156, Oxford University Press, Oxford
  • Elgar MA, Crespi BJ (1992) Ecology and evolution of cannibalism. In: Cannibalism: ecology & evolution among diverse taxa (MA Elgar, BJ Crespi, eds.), pp. 1–12, Oxford University Press, Oxford
  • Elgar MA (1989) Predator vigilance and group size in birds and mammals: a critical review of the empirical evidence. Biological Reviews 64: 13–33
  • A selection of diverse topics
  • Haynl C, Vongsvivut J, Mayer KRH, Bargel H, Neubauer NJ, Tobin MJ, Elgar MA, Scheibel T (2020) Free-standing spider silk webs of the thomisid Saccodomus formivorus are made of composites comprising micro- and submicron fibers. Scientific Reports 10: 17624
  • Orbel PA, Potter JR, Elgar MA (2020) Collective displays as signals of relative colony size: meat ants, Iridomyrmex purpureus, are economical with the truth. Animal Behaviour 159: 29–36
  • Peng P, Stuart-Fox D, Chen S-W, Tan EJ, Kuo G-L, Blamires SJ, Tso I-M, Elgar MA (2020) High contrast yellow mosaic patterns are prey attractants for orb-weaving spiders. Functional Ecology 34: 853–864
  • Pham HT, McNamara KB, Elgar MA. (2020) Socially cued anticipatory adjustment of female signalling effort in a moth. Biology Letters 16: 20200614
  • Willmott NJ, Henneken J, Elgar MA, Jones TM (2019) Guiding lights: foraging responses of juvenile nocturnal orb-weavers to the presence of artificial light at night. Ethology 125: 289–297
  • Wang Q, Shang Y, Hilton DS, Inthavong K, Zhang D, Elgar MA (2018) Antennal scales improve signal detection efficiency for moth communication. Proceedings Royal Society B 285: 20172832
  • Alavi Y, Elgar MA, Jones TM (2017) Sex versus parthenogenesis: immune function in a facultatively parthenogenetic phasmatid (Extatosoma tiaratum). Journal of Insect Physiology 100: 65–70
  • Johnson TL, Symonds MRE, Elgar MA (2017) Anticipatory flexibility: larval population density in moths determines male investment in antennae, wings and testes. Proceedings Royal Society B 284: 20172087
  • McGrath SJ, Cleave RJ, Elgar MA, Silcocks SC, Magrath MJL (2017) Determining host plant preferences for the critically endangered Lord Howe Island Stick Insect (Dryococelus australis) to assist reintroduction. Journal of Insect Conservation 21: 791-799
  • Tan EJ, Reid CAM, Symonds MRE, Jurado-Rivera JA, Elgar MA (2017) The role of life-history and ecology in the evolution of colour patterns in chrysomeline beetles. Frontiers in Ecology & Evolution 5: 140
  • Wittwer B, Hefetz A, Simon T, Murphy LEK, Elgar MA, Pierce NE, Kocher SD (2017) Solitary bees reduce investment in communication compared to their social relatives. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, USA 114: 6569–6574
  • Bian X, Elgar MA, Peters R (2016) The swaying behavior of Extatosoma tiaratum: motion camouflage in a stick insect? Behavioral Ecology 27: 83–92
  • Elgar MA (2016) Leader selection and leadership outcomes: height and age in a sporting model. The Leadership Quarterly 27: 588–601
  • Elgar MA, Nash DR, Pierce NE (2016) Eavesdropping on cooperative communication in an ant-butterfly mutualism. Science of Nature 103: 84
  • Kuntner M, Cheng R-C, Kralj-Fišer S, Liao C-P, Schneider JM, Elgar MA (2016) The evolution of genital complexity and mating rates in sexually size dimorphic spiders. BMC Evolutionary Biology 16: 242
  • Wang Q, Goodger JQD, Woodrow IE, Elgar MA (2016) Location-specific cuticular hydrocarbon signals in a social insect. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 283: 20160310.
  • Henneken J, Jones TM, Goodger J, Walter A, Elgar MA (2015) Diet influences female signal reliability for male mate choice. Animal Behaviour 108: 215–221.
  • Sharp JG, Garnick SW, Elgar MA, Coulson GM (2015). Parasite and predator risk assessment: nuanced use of olfactory cues. Proceedings Royal Society, B 282: 20151941
  • Hodgkin LK, Symonds MRE, Elgar MA (2014) Leaders benefit followers in the collective movement of a social sawfly. Proceedings Royal Society B 281: 20141700
  • Featherston R, Jones TM, Elgar MA (2013) Female resistance behaviour and progeny sex ratio in two Bradysia species (Diptera: Sciaridae) with paternal genome elimination. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 26: 919–928
  • Gill KP, van Wilgenburg E, Macmillan D, Elgar MA (2013) Density of antennal sensilla influences efficacy of communication in a social insect. American Naturalist 182: 834–840
  • Zhang S, Koh TH, Seah WK, Lai YH, Elgar MA, Li D (2012) A novel property of spider silk: chemical defence against ants. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 279, 1824-1830
  • Cripps JK, Wilson ME, Elgar MA, Coulson GM (2011) The influence of reproduction on the foraging behaviour of female eastern grey kangaroos: an experimental study. Biology Letters 7: 859–862
  • Davie LC, Jones TM, Elgar MA (2010) The role of chemical communication in sexual selection: hair-pencil displays in the diamondback moth, Plutella zylostella. Animal Behaviour 79: 391–399
  • van Lieshout E, Elgar MA (2009) Armament under direct sexual selection does not exhibit positive allometry in an earwig Euborellia brunneri. Behavioral Ecology 20: 258–264
  • McNamara KB, Elgar MA, Brown R, Jones TM (2008) Paternity costs from polyandry compensated by increased fecundity in the hide beetle. Behavioral Ecology 19: 433–440
  • Walter A, Elgar MA, Bliss P, Moritz RFA (2008) ‘Wrap attack’ activates web decorating behavior in Argiope spiders. Behavioral Ecology 19: 799–804
  • van Wilgenburg E, Dang S, Forti A-L, Koumoundouros TJ, Ly A, Elgar MA (2007) An absence of aggression between non–nestmates in the bull ant Myrmecia nigriceps. Naturwissenchaften 94: 787–790
  • Arnqvist G, Jones TM, Elgar MA (2006) Sex–role reversed nuptial feeding reduces male kleptoparasitism of females in Zeus bugs (Heteroptera; Veliidae). Biology Letters 2: 491–493
  • Symonds MRE, Gemmell NJ, Braisher TL, Gorringe KL, Elgar MA (2006) Gender differences in publication output: towards an unbiased metric of research performance. PLOS One 1: e127
  • Fromhage L, Elgar MA, Schneider JM (2005) Faithful without care: the evolution of monogyny.  Evolution 59: 1400–1405
  • Weston MA, Elgar MA (2005) Disturbance to brood–rearing hooded plovers Thinornis rubricollis: responses and consequences.  Bird Conservation International 15: 193–209
  • Bjorkman–Chiswell BT, Kulinski MM, Muscat RL, Nguyen KA, Norton BA, Symonds MRE, Westhorpe GE, Elgar MA (2004) Web–building spiders attract prey by storing decaying matter. Naturwissenchaften 91: 245–248.
  • Jones TM, Elgar, MA (2004) The role of male age, sperm age and mating history on fecundity and fertilisation success in the hide beetle. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, B 271: 1311–1318
  • Symonds MRE, Elgar MA (2004) Species overlap, speciation, and the evolution of aggregation pheromones in bark beetles.  Ecology Letters 7: 202–212
  • Arnqvist G, Jones TM, Elgar MA (2003) Reversal of sex roles in nuptial feeding. Nature 424: 387
  • Allan RA, Capon RJ, Brown V, Elgar MA (2002) Mimicry of host cuticular hydrocarbons by salticid spider Cosmophasis bitaeniata that preys on larvae of tree ants Oecophylla smaragdina.  Journal of Chemical Ecology 28: 835–848
  • Schneider JM, Elgar MA (2001) Sexual cannibalism and sperm competition in the golden orb–web spider Nephila plumipes (Araneoidea): female and male perspectives. Behavioral Ecology 12: 547–552
  • Elgar MA, Schneider JM, Herberstein ME (2000) Females control paternity in a sexually cannibalistic spider. Proceedings of the Royal Society, B 267: 2439–2443
  • Merrill DN, Elgar MA (2000) Red legs and golden gasters: Batesian mimicry in an Australian ant?  Naturwissenchaften 87: 212–215
  • Elgar MA, Jebb M (1999) Nest provisioning in the mud–dauber wasp Sceliphron laetum (F. Smith): body mass and taxa specific prey selection. Behaviour 136: 147–159
  • Thomas ML, Parry LJ, Allan RA, Elgar MA (1999) Geographic affinity, cuticular hydrocarbons and colony recognition in the Australian meat ant Iridomyrmex purpureus. Naturwissenchaften 86: 87–92
  • Downes S, Handasyde KA, Elgar MA (1997) The use of corridors by native mammals in fragmented eucalypt forest in north–eastern Victoria, Australia. Conservation Biology 11, 718–726
  • Magrath MJL, Elgar MA (1997) Paternal care declines with increased opportunity for extra–pair matings in fairy martins. Proceedings of the Royal Society, B 264, 1731–1736
  • Allan RA, Elgar MA, Capon RJ (1996) Exploitation of an ant chemical alarm signal by the zodariid spider Habronestes bradleyi Walckenaer. Proceedings of the Royal Society, B 263, 69–73
  • Evans TA, Wallis EJ, Elgar MA (1995) Making a meal of mother. Nature 376, 299
  • Elgar MA (1994) Experimental evidence of a mutualistic association between two web–building spiders. Journal of Animal Ecology 64, 880–886
  • Elgar MA (1990) Evolutionary compromise between a few large and many small eggs: comparative evidence in teleost fish. Oikos 59, 283–287
  • Elgar MA (1989) Kleptoparasitsm: a cost of aggregating for the orb–weaving spider Nephila edulis. Animal Behaviour 37, 1052–1055
  • Elgar MA, Nash DR (1988) Sexual cannibalism in the garden spider, Araneus diadematus (Araneae: Araneidae). Animal Behaviour 36, 1511–1517
  • Pierce NE, Elgar MA (1985) The influence of ants on host plant selection by Jalmenus evagoras, a myrmecophilous lycaenid butterfly. Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology 16, 209–222
  • Elgar MA & Harvey PH (1987) Basal metabolic rates in mammals: allometry, phylogeny and ecology. Functional Ecology 1, 25–36
  • Elgar MA (1986) House sparrows establish foraging flocks by giving chirrup calls if the resources are divisible. Animal Behaviour 34, 169–174
  • Elgar MA, Catterall CP (1981) Flocking and predator surveillance in house sparrows: test of an hypothesis. Animal Behaviour 29, 868–872