Staff profile

Dr Neil Murray

Honorary Research Associate

Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering

School of Molecular Sciences
Department of Genetics

Melbourne (Bundoora)

 

Qualifications

BSc, PhD (Sydney)

Area of study

Genetics

Brief Profile

I became interested in ecological genetics and evolution while doing my B.Sc. at the University of Sydney. This was not difficult as I lived surrounded by an exuberance of diverse, and diversely coloured, marine and terrestrial invertebrates including striking examples of insect mimicry. I pursued this field of research in my Ph.D. via genetic and ecological studies on natural selection in native beetles, also at Sydney. 

Another consequence of growing up on the urban fringe was a growing awareness of the continual loss of native species and local populations. I think that these experiences have combined in my long-term commitment both to understand the complex and continuing processes that affect gene pools and genetic change in the real world, and to apply this understanding to the management of natural populations, principally for conservation.

I have spent most of my professional life at La Trobe, with periods at the University of Liverpool, U.K., and the University of British Columbia, Canada.

I have been a member of several threatened species Recovery Teams, and was the first Convenor of the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act’s Scientific Advisory Committee. 

Recent Publications

Braby MF, Eastwood R, & Murray N (In Press) The subspecies concept in butterflies: has its application in taxonomy and conservation biology outlived its usefulness? Biol. J. Linn. Soc.

Norgate M, Chamings J, Pavlova A,Bull JK, Murray ND, Sunnucks P (2009) Mitochondrial DNA indicates Late Pleistocene divergence of populations of Heteronympha merope, an emerging model in environmental change biology. PLoS 4, e7950 (doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0007950).

Robinson N, A Skinner, L Sethuraman, H McPartlan, ND Murray, I Knuckey, D Smith, J Hindell & S Talman. (2008) Genetic stock structure of blue-eye trevalla (Hyperoglyphe Antarctica) and warehou (Seriolella brama and Seriolella punctata) in south-eastern Australian waters. Marine and Freshwater Research 59, 502-514. 

Co-author/Contributor for two major Technical Reports, prepared for Commonwealth Dept of Environment:

  • Recovery Plan for the Orange-Bellied Parrot 2006-2010;
  • Recovery Plan for the Helmeted Honeyeater 2006-2010

Runciman D., RA Zann & ND Murray. (2005) Geographic and temporal variation of the male Zebra Finch distance call. Ethology 111: 367-379

Roeder AD, RK Marshall, AJ Mitchelson, T Visagathilagar, PA Ritchie, DR Love, TJ Pakai, HC McPartlan, ND Murray, NA Robinson, KR Kerry, & DM Lambert (2001) Gene flow on ice:genetic differentiation among Adelie penguin colonies around Antarctica. Molecular Ecology 10, 1645-1656. 

Osborne MJ, JA Norman, L Christidis, & ND Murray (2000) Genetic distinctness of isolated populations of an endangered marsupial, the mountain pygmy-possum, Burramys parvus. Molecular Ecology 9, 609-614.

MacPhee, D.G. and Murray. N.D. (1998).  Why are there more mutations in males?  Mutation Research, 403: 265-267.

Taylor AC, JA Marshall Graves, ND Murray, SJ O’Brien, N Yuhki, & WB Sherwin (1997) Conservation genetics of the koala Phascolarctos cinereus: Low mitochondrial DNA variation amongst southern Australian populations. Genetical Research Cambridge 69, 25-33. 

Lade JA, ND Murray, CA Marks, & NA Robinson (1996) Microsatellite differentiation between Phillip Island and mainland Australian populations of the red fox Vulpes vulpes. Molecular Ecology 5, 81-87.

Douglas JW, GJ Gooley, BA Ingram, ND Murray, & LD Brown (1995) Natural hybridization between Murray Cod Maccullochella peelii peelii (Mitchell) and Trout Cod, Maccullochella macquariensis (Cuvier) (Percichthyidae), in the Murray River, Australia. Mar. Freshwater Res. 46, 729-734.

Brown LD & ND Murray (1992) Genetic relationships within the genus Haliotis. Pp 19-23 In SA Shepherd, M Tegner & S Guzman Eds. Abalone of the World: Biology, Fisheries and Culture. Blackwells, London.

Brown LD & ND Murray (1992) Population genetics, gene flow and stock structure in Haliotis rubra and Haliotis laevigata Pp 24-33 In SA Shepherd, M Tegner & S Guzman Eds. Abalone of the World: Biology, Fisheries and Culture. Blackwells, London. 

Sherwin WB & ND Murray (1990) Population and conservation genetics of marsupials. Aust. J. Zool. 37, 161-180. 

Frankham  R, Hemmer H, Ryder OA, Cothran EG, Soule ME, Murray ND, & Snyder M (1986) Selection in captive populations. Zoo Biology 5, 127-138. 

Daniell A & ND Murray (1986) Effects of inbreeding in the budgerigar Melopsittacus undulatus (Aves: Psittacidae). Zoo Biology 5, 233-238. 

Thomson RL, M Westerman & ND Murray (1984) B chromosomes in Rattus fuscipes I. Mitotic and meiotic chromosomes and the effects of B chromosomes on chiasma frequency. Heredity 52, 355-362. 

Murray ND (1982) Ecology and evolution of the Opuntia-Cactoblastis ecosystem in Australia. Pp 17-30 In JSF Barker and WT Starmer Eds. Ecological Genetics and Evolution: the cactus-yeast-Drosophila model system. Academic Press, Sydney.

Pearse FK & ND Murray (1982) Sex and variability in the Common Brown Butterfly Heteronympha merope merope (Lepidoptera: Satyrinae). Evolution 36, 1251-1264.

Pearse FK & ND Murray (1981) Clinal variation in the Common Brown Butterfly Heteronympha merope merope (Lepidoptera: Satyrinae). Aust. Jour. Zool. 29, 631-642.

Myers JH, J Monro & ND Murray (1981) Egg clumping, host plant selection and population regulation in Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera). Oecologia (Berl.) 51, 7-13.

Murray ND, JA Bishop and MR MacNair (1980) Melanism and predation by birds in the moths Biston betularia and Phigalia pilosaria. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. Series B. 210, 277-283.