Dr Nick Murphy

Biography/ Background

I have a genuine interest in all areas of evolutionary and systematic research. In particular I am interested in using molecular data to address questions relating to phylogenetic relationships, ecology and biogeography. My main focus is on invertebrate relationships at all levels from populations to deeper phylogeny, having worked on a number of crustacean species, lycosid wolf spiders and parasitic hymenoptera, pseudoscorpions and snails. I am most interested in aquatic systems, in particular freshwater, as I believe the unique constraints placed on freshwater organisms make them an ideal conduit for examining the evolutionary effects of past climatic, geological and other events.

Teaching Interests

I am currently the coordinator for the third year Evolution and Palaeobiology subject. I am interested in helping students understand why and how we study the evolutionary history of organsisms.

Research Interests

Diversity, evolution and conservation of the unique biota associated with artesian (mound) springs in South Australia

The mound springs are the natural discharge sites of the Great Artesian Basin (GAB). They represent one of Australiaâ�^TMs most unique and significant environments and are of national biodiversity, cultural and economic significance. The Great Artesian Basin underlies nearly one-quarter of the Australian landmass. For most of this area (including the entire South Australian portion) average annual rainfall is less than 200 mm while the evaporation rate exceeds 1200 mm annually, making the GAB the most reliable source of water in the region. Utilisation of these springs by aboriginal people dates back at least 10,000 years. However, since European colonisation, demands for artesian water for pastoralism, railways, mining and power generation have increased to the point where localised reduction of aquifer pressure is a considerable threat to the springs.

Mound springs (more correctly referred to as GAB springs) are of considerable biological and conservation interest, containing numerous endemic plant and animal species. The conservation of these unique environments is a national issue following their listing as a â�^~threatened ecological communityâ�� by the federal government in 1999. Despite this listing, there is relatively little known about these communities, which include hydrobiid snails, several crustacean orders, annelid and flat worms. Knowledge of this aquatic fauna is particularly important due to the reduction in artesian pressure, which places these communities at direct risk of extinction.

Funding from the ARCâ�^TMs Linkage and Discovery programs have provided significant resources to examine the aquatic invertebrates of the springs in South Australia. The project will use molecular techniques to examine and compare the evolution and diversity of several invertebrate species within the springs. By comparing the patterns of genetic diversity from co-distributed, biologically diverse groups, the project will identify geographic areas within which whole communities have undergone significant periods of independent evolution. This will identify regions of particular significance for conserving maximum genetic diversity across entire communities and assess the possible consequences of spring extinctions, aiding plans for the management and conservation of these unique communities.

The unique invertebrate communities of the Great Artesian Basin mound springs also provide an ideal system to examine the impact of historic aridification and climate change on Australiaâ�^TMs freshwater fauna. By developing robust phylogenies and investigating both ancient and recent lineage divergence for the endemic invertebrates, hypotheses associated with climate history in Australia, origins of the endemic fauna and evolutionary radiations within the springs can be examined.

Publications

Gotch, T.B., Adams, M., Murphy, N.P. & Austin, A.D. (2008) A molecular systematic overview of wolf spiders associated with Great Artesian Basin Springs in South Australia: evolutionary origins and an assessment of metapopulation structure in two species. Invertebrate Systematics. In Press.

Murphy, N.P., Banks, J., Whitfield, J.B. & Austin, A. (2008) Phylogeny of the parasitic microgastroid subfamilies (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) based on sequence data from seven genes, with an improved time estimate of the origin of the lineage. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 47: 378-395

Murphy, N.P., Carey, D., Castro. L., Dowton, M. & Austin, A. (2007) Phylogeny of the platygastroid wasps (Hymenoptera) based on sequences from the 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA and CO1 genes: implications for classification and the evolution of host relationships. Biol. J. Linnean Soc. 91: 653-669

Moulds, T.A., Murphy, N.P., Adams, M., Reardon, T., Harvey M.S, & A.D. Austin (2007) Phylogeography of cave pseudoscorpions in Australia. Journal Of Biogeography. 34: 951-962

Park YC, Yoo JS, Schwarz MP, Murphy NP, Donnellan S, Kim, JP. (2007) Molecular phylogeny of East Asian wolf spiders (Araneae: Lycosidae) inferred from mitochondrial 12S ribosomal DNA. Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 100: 1-8

Muirhead, K.A., Murphy N.P.,. Sallam M.N,. Donnellan S.C &. Austin A.D (2006) Genetic variation in the Cotesia flavipes complex of parasitic wasps (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea: Braconidae): towards the effective control of stemborer pests in Australia. J. Entomol. Soc. France 42: 309-318

Carey, D, Murphy N.P & Austin A.D. (2006) Molecular phylogenetics and the evolution of wing reduction in a tribe of parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae: Baeini). Invertebrate Systematics 20: 489-501

Murphy N.P, Framenau V, Donnellan S, Harvey M, Park YC, Austin A (2006) Phylogenetic reconstruction of the wolf spiders (Araneae: Lycosidae) using sequences from the 12S rRNA , 28S rRNA and NADH1 genes: implications for classification, biogeography and the evolution of web building behavior. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 38: 503-602

Miller A, Murphy NP, Burridge C, Austin C (2005) Complete Mitochondrial DNA Sequence of the Decapod Crustaceans Pseudocarcinus gigas (Menippidae), and Macrobrachium rosenbergii (Palaemonidae). Marine Biotechnology, 7, 339 � 349

Murphy N.P, Austin CM (2005) Phylogenetic relationships of the globally distributed freshwater prawn genus Macrobrachium (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palaemonidae): biogeography, taxonomy and the convergent evolution of abbreviated larval development. Zoologica Scripta 34: 187-197

Murphy N.P, Austin CM (2004a) Multiple origins of the endemic Australian Macrobrachium (Decapoda : Palaemonidae) based on 16S rRNA mitochondrial sequences. Australian Journal of Zoology 52: 549-559

Murphy N.P, Austin CM (2004b) Phylogeography of the widespread Australian freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium australiense (Decapoda, Palaemonidae). Journal of Biogeography 31: 1065-1072

Murphy N.P, Short JW, Austin CM (2004) Re-examination of the taxonomy of the Macrobrachium australiense Holthuis (Decapoda : Palaemonidae) species-complex: molecular evidence for a single species. Invertebrate Systematics 18: 227-232

Munasinghe, D.H.N., Murphy, N.P. and Austin, C.M. (2003) Utility of mitochondrial DNA sequences for systematic studies of Australian freshwater crayfish of the genus Cherax (Decapoda: Parastacidae) Journal of Crustacean Biology, 23(2) 402-417

Murphy, N.P. and Austin, C.M. (2003) Molecular taxonomy and phylogenetics of some species of Australian palaemonid shrimps. Journal of Crustacean Biology. 23 167-177

Murphy, N.P. and Austin, C.M. (2002) A preliminary study of 16S rRNA sequence variation in Australian Macrobrachium shrimps (Palaemonidae: Decapoda) reveals inconsistencies in their current classification. Invertebrate Systematics 5, 697-701

Nguyen, T.T.T., Murphy, N.P. and Austin, C.M. (2002) Amplification of multiple copies of mitochondrial Cytochrome b gene fragments in the Australian freshwater crayfish, Cherax destructor Clark (Parastacidae: Decapodae) Animal Science 33, 304-308

Hurt, A.C., Murphy, N.P., Patil, J.G. and Austin, C.M. (2001) Molecular genetic evidence for a new species of bream of the genus Acanthopagrus Peters (Perciformes: Sparidae) Asian Fisheries Science 14. 427-435

Entry last updated: Tuesday, 26 May 2009