Michael R. Gray

Gray was born to Dorothy Dean Gray (nee Sweeting) and William Blair Christie Gray in Kensington, Western Australia. He grew up in Perth, Western Australia, and attended Wesley College, Perth.{{Cite news |date=1941-08-28 |title=Family Notices |work=West Australian |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47158410 |access-date=2023-12-29}}{{Cite journal |date=1958 |title=Mention the following First Class Passes |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn665419 |journal=The Western Wyvern |location=South Perth, W.A. |publisher=Wesley College |pages=15}}

In 1968, Gray received a Master of Science with the Zoology Department of the University of Western Australia supervised by Barbara York Main. His thesis was titled: Comparison of Three Genera of Trapdoor Spiders (Ctenizidae, Aganippini) with Respect to Survival under Arid Conditions.{{Cite book |last=Gray |first=Michael R |url=https://onesearch.library.uwa.edu.au/permalink/61UWA_INST/1vk1d8f/alma9948676102101 |title=Comparison of Three Genera of Trapdoor Spiders (Ctenizidae, Aganippini) with Respect to Survival under Arid Conditions |publisher=University of Western Australia |year=1968}}{{Cite journal |last=Smith |first=Helen |date=September 2023 |title=Vale Michael R.B. Gray 25 August 1941 - 28 July 2023 |url=https://linneansocietynsw.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/LinnSoc-News-190-Sept-2023.pdf |journal=LinnSoc News - Newsletter of the Linnean Society of NSW |issue=190 |pages=4–6}} In 1986, Gray was awarded a PhD through Macquarie University, with the thesis A Systematic Study of the Funnel Web Spiders (Mygalomorphae: Hexathelidae: Atracinae).{{Cite book |last=Gray |first=Michael R |url=https://multisearch.mq.edu.au/permalink/61MACQUARIE_INST/1c87tk9/alma9927359410802171 |title=A systematic study of the funnel web spiders (Mygalomorphae: Hexathelidae: Atracinae) |publisher=Macquarie University |year=1986}}

While at the Australian Museum, Gray met his wife, Greta Jensen, who was then working in the Marine Invertebrates department. They married in 1970 and had two children, Emma and Anna.

In 1968 Gray started as Assistant Curator of Arachnology at the Australian Museum. By 2003, Gray had progressed to the position of Principal Research Scientist.{{Cite book |last1=Strahan |first1=Ronald |url=https://media.australian.museum/media/dd/Uploads/Documents/27103/Rare_and_Curious_Specimens_complete_lowres_web.847217d.pdf?_ga=2.251852494.619151219.1703734526-1156090945.1703734526&_gl=1*dbsaol*_ga*MTE1NjA5MDk0NS4xNzAzNzM0NTI2*_ga_PZ3L84LQDF*MTcwMzgyNDI5MS4zLjAuMTcwMzgyNDI5MS42MC4wLjA. |title=Rare and curious specimens : an illustrated history of the Australian Museum, 1827-1979 |last2=Branagan |first2=David F. |publisher=Australian Museum |year=1979 |isbn=0724015248}}

Gray's research interests included the systematics of Australian funnel-web spiders (Atracidae).{{Cite Q|Q123746158|author=Gray, M.R.}} Of particular public interest along with Gray’s funnel-web work, was a collection of papers co-written with medical doctor Geoff Isbister relating to spider bites.{{Cite Q|Q39095508}}{{Cite Q|Q28209039}}{{Cite Q|Q80106511}} This work debunked the myth of flesh eating necrosis being caused by a bite from an Australian white-tailed spider (Lampona spp.). In 2004, Isbister and Gray were nominated as finalists in the Australian Skeptics Eureka Prize for Critical Thinking, for their paper on the white-tailed spider bite.{{Cite news |last=Allison |first=L |date=2003 |title=Spider bite not so bad Study clears white-tail's sting |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/364871541 |work=Herald |location=Newcastle, NSW |pages=14 |id={{ProQuest|364871541}}}}{{Cite news |last=Kelly |first=Alice |date=23 July 2004 |title=Medical wisdom bitten by proof of spider's innocence |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/364914477 |access-date=6 January 2024 |work=Newcastle Herald |pages=20 |id={{ProQuest|364914477}}}}

Cave spiders were another research interest, with Gray undertaking fieldwork in Jenolan Caves, Wombeyan Caves and caves on the Nullarbor Plain.{{Cite Q|Q99656009|author=Gray, M.R.|authorlink=Michael R. Gray}}{{Cite Q|Q123745775|author=Gray, M.R.}}{{Cite Q|Q123746160|author=Gray, M.R.}}{{Cite Q|Q99573794|author=Gray, M.R.}} Notable surveys Gray was involved in include the World Heritage Rainforests Survey with the Queensland Museum, the Lord Howe Island Survey, and the North East Forests Biodiversity Survey with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.

Equally important to his research was public engagement. Throughout his career, Gray was regularly interviewed by media outlets. Through these interviews he tried to educate and build public interest in spiders. In 1997, Gray curated the Spiders! exhibition at the Australian Museum.{{Cite web |date=21 November 2022 |title=Australian Museum Exhibitions TimeLine |url=https://australian.museum/about/history/timelines/exhibitions-timeline/ |access-date=29 December 2023 |website=Australian Museum}}

Scientific committees and societies Gray has been a member of include:

• Jenolan Caves Scientific Advisory Committee
• Australian Venoms Research Council
• Joyce Vickery Scientific Research Fund grants committee (Chair)
• Linnean Society of New South Wales

Gray was particularly active within the Linnean Society having been a member since 1981, then a council member in 1988 and President in 2012-2013.

Gray was an Honorary Associate in the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Agriculture Food and Natural Resources at the University of Sydney. Gray supervised many students studying for Honours, Masters, and PhD degrees. He also became a mentor to retired pharmacist Graham Wishart, developing Wishart's interest in trapdoor spiders.{{Cite Q|Q92173316}}{{Cite Q|Q110404264}}{{Cite Q|Q92173773}}

Gray retired in 2009 and in 2010, as a retired fellow of the Australian Museum, published his PhD thesis findings A revision of the Australian funnel-web spiders (Hexathelidae: Atracinae).{{Cite journal |last=Gray |first=Michael R. |date=2010-11-24 |title=A revision of the Australian funnel-web spiders (Hexathelidae: Atracinae) |url=https://journals.australian.museum/gray-2010-rec-aust-mus-623-285392/ |journal=Records of the Australian Museum |volume=62 |issue=3 |pages=285–392 |doi=10.3853/j.0067-1975.62.2010.1556}}

Gray's field work has resulted in almost 11,000 specimen lots registered in the Australian Museum database under his name. Gray introduced contemporary curatorial techniques and standards to registering arachnology specimens at the Australian Museum. In 1977, with the support of an assistant, he started databasing specimens. By 1990, 28,000 specimens had been recorded. As of 2023, over 131,000 arachnological specimens are represented in the Australian Museum database.

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• Taxa named by Michael R.Gray

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• [https://w.wiki/8TmZ Query wikidata for taxa described by Michael R. Gray]
• [https://w.wiki/8unc Query wikidata for patronyms]

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Category:Australian arachnologists

Category:1941 births

Category:2023 deaths