Dave Gray

Dave Gray is a Professor in the Department of Biology at California State University, Northridge, where he leads a research laboratory focused on Behavior, Evolution, and Speciation. His work bridges entomology, evolutionary biology, and behavioral ecology with emphasis on Gryllus field crickets.

Dr. Gray's research spans three interconnected domains: Taxonomic Systematics (culminating in the 2019 monograph describing 17 new cricket species), Genomic Evolution (including the 2024 Gryllus longicercus genome assembly), and Behavioral Mechanisms of mate selection. His publications reveal a consistent focus on how sexual signals evolve, how females process complex mating calls, and how reproductive isolation drives speciation.

Analysis of his recent publications shows increasing methodological sophistication - from morphological taxonomy to multilocus phylogenetics and now whole-genome analysis - while maintaining core questions about evolutionary processes. His work uniquely connects molecular, organismal, and behavioral levels of biological organization.

Dr. Gray maintains active collaborations with researchers including Dave Weissman, Szymon Sjrajer, and Guillem Ylla, with field sites spanning North America. His lab at CSUN serves as a hub for integrative evolutionary research combining field observations, laboratory experiments, and genomic analyses.