Associate Professor Karen Cheney
Associate Professor

Karen Cheney

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 57071

Background

A/ Prof. Karen Cheney is a marine ecologist employing a multidisciplinary approach to explore predator-prey interactions, animal signalling, and the fundamental principles behind the evolution and function of animal colour patterns. Her research spans sensory, behavioral, and chemical marine ecology, with a particular focus on marine fish and molluscs. She co-leads the Marine Sensory Ecology Group at UQ.

She is also the Academic Director of the Moreton Bay Research Station, where she is oversees the teaching and research conducted at the station. She also co-leads research projects on understanding the ecosystem services of shellfish reef restoration, and the conservation of the threatened seahorse, Hippocampus whitei, in SE Queensland. She is also the Deputy Director of the Centre for Marine Science.

Animal Signalling: She focuses on the evolution of animal signals in the marine environment, particularly those used for camouflage and warning signals (aposematism). Her research employs spectrophotometry, theoretical vision models, phylogenetic comparative analysis, and a novel method using a calibrated underwater camera system to analyse complex animal colour patterns. This innovative approach enables simultaneous in-situ collection of spatial and spectral properties of animals and their backgrounds. She specifically investigates the diversity of colour signals displayed by nudibranch molluscs, examining how these patterns are perceived by potential predators and their relationship to the unpalatability and toxicity of the molluscs’ stored chemical defences.

Colour Vision: She studies the visual performance of coral reef fish using behavioural assays inspired by tests used to screen for human color vision deficiencies. By relating behavioural data to theoretical visual modelling, she assesses the accuracy of these models. More broadly, she explores the sensory, neural, and cognitive foundations of colour perception and investigates the genetic basis for the diversification of visual systems.

Availability

Associate Professor Karen Cheney is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Biological Sciences Ecology Zoology

Qualifications

  • Bachelor (Honours) of Science (Advanced), The University of Manchester
  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of East Anglia
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education, The University of Queensland

Search Professor Karen Cheney’s works on UQ eSpace

131 works between 1999 and 2025
All (131) Journal Article (107) Book Chapter (4) Conference Publication (6) Other Outputs (14)

81 - 100 of 131 works

2017

Journal Article

Regulation, constraints and benefits of colour plasticity in a mimicry system

Cheney, Karen L., Cortesi, Fabio and Nilsson Sköld, Helen (2017). Regulation, constraints and benefits of colour plasticity in a mimicry system. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 122 (2), 385-393. doi: 10.1093/biolinnean/blx057

Regulation, constraints and benefits of colour plasticity in a mimicry system

2017

Journal Article

Disruptive colouration in reef fish: does matching the background reduce predation risk?

Phillips, Genevieve A. C., How, Martin J., Lange, Julia E., Marshall, N. Justin and Cheney, Karen L. (2017). Disruptive colouration in reef fish: does matching the background reduce predation risk?. Journal of Experimental Biology, 220 (11), 1962-1974. doi: 10.1242/jeb.151480

Disruptive colouration in reef fish: does matching the background reduce predation risk?

2017

Journal Article

Cytotoxic spiroepoxide lactone and its putative biosynthetic precursor from Goniobranchus Splendidus

Forster, Louise C., Pierens, Gregory K., White, Andrew M., Cheney, Karen L., Dewapriya, Pradeep, Capon, Robert J. and Garson, Mary J. (2017). Cytotoxic spiroepoxide lactone and its putative biosynthetic precursor from Goniobranchus Splendidus. ACS Omega, 2 (6), 2672-2677. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.7b00641

Cytotoxic spiroepoxide lactone and its putative biosynthetic precursor from Goniobranchus Splendidus

2017

Journal Article

The Evolution of Fangs, Venom, and Mimicry Systems in Blenny Fishes (vol 27, pg 1184, 2017)

Casewell, Nicholas R., Visser, Jeroen C., Baumann, Kate, Dobson, James, Han, Han, Kuruppu, Sanjaya, Morgan, Michael, Romilio, Anthony, Weisbecker, Vera, Mardon, Karine, Ali, Syed A., Debono, Jordan, Koludarov, Ivan, Que, Ivo, Bird, Gregory C., Cooke, Gavan M., Nouwens, Amanda, Hodgson, Wayne C., Wagstaff, Simon C., Cheney, Karen L., Vetter, Irina, van der Weerd, Louise, Richardson, Michael K. and Fry, Bryan G. (2017). The Evolution of Fangs, Venom, and Mimicry Systems in Blenny Fishes (vol 27, pg 1184, 2017). Current Biology, 27 (10), 1549-1550. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.05.009

The Evolution of Fangs, Venom, and Mimicry Systems in Blenny Fishes (vol 27, pg 1184, 2017)

2017

Journal Article

Spongian-16-one Diterpenes and their Anatomical Distribution in the Australian Nudibranch Goniobranchus collingwoodi

Forster, Louise C., Winters, Anne E., Cheney, Karen L., Dewapriya, Pradeep, Capon, Robert J. and Garson, Mary J. (2017). Spongian-16-one Diterpenes and their Anatomical Distribution in the Australian Nudibranch Goniobranchus collingwoodi. Journal of Natural Products, 80 (3), 670-675. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.6b00936

Spongian-16-one Diterpenes and their Anatomical Distribution in the Australian Nudibranch Goniobranchus collingwoodi

2016

Journal Article

The sequestration of oxy-polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the nudibranchs Miamira magnifica and Miamira miamirana

Dewi, Ariyanti S., Cheney, Karen L., Urquhart, Holly H., Blanchfield, Joanne T. and Garson, Mary J. (2016). The sequestration of oxy-polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the nudibranchs Miamira magnifica and Miamira miamirana. Marine Drugs, 14 (11) 198, 198. doi: 10.3390/md14110198

The sequestration of oxy-polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the nudibranchs Miamira magnifica and Miamira miamirana

2016

Journal Article

From crypsis to mimicry: changes in colour and the configuration of the visual system during ontogenetic habitat transitions in a coral reef fish

Cortesi, Fabio, Musilova, Zuzana, Stieb, Sara M., Hart, Nathan S., Siebeck, Ulrike E., Cheney, K. L., Salzburger, Walter and Marshall, N. Justin (2016). From crypsis to mimicry: changes in colour and the configuration of the visual system during ontogenetic habitat transitions in a coral reef fish. Journal of Experimental Biology, 219 (16), 2545-2558. doi: 10.1242/jeb.139501

From crypsis to mimicry: changes in colour and the configuration of the visual system during ontogenetic habitat transitions in a coral reef fish

2016

Journal Article

Tropical range extension for the temperate, endemic South-Eastern Australian Nudibranch Goniobranchus splendidus (Angas, 1864)

Wilson, Nerida G., Winters, Anne E. and Cheney, Karen L. (2016). Tropical range extension for the temperate, endemic South-Eastern Australian Nudibranch Goniobranchus splendidus (Angas, 1864). Diversity, 8 (3) 16, 16.1-16.8. doi: 10.3390/d8030016

Tropical range extension for the temperate, endemic South-Eastern Australian Nudibranch Goniobranchus splendidus (Angas, 1864)

2016

Journal Article

Oxygenated diterpenes from the Indo-Pacific nudibranchs Goniobranchus splendidus and Ardeadoris egretta

White, Andrew M., Dewi, Ariyanti S., Cheney, Karen L., Winters, Anne E., Blanchfield, Joanne T. and Garson, Mary J. (2016). Oxygenated diterpenes from the Indo-Pacific nudibranchs Goniobranchus splendidus and Ardeadoris egretta. Natural Product Communications, 11 (7), 921-924. doi: 10.1177/1934578X1601100714

Oxygenated diterpenes from the Indo-Pacific nudibranchs Goniobranchus splendidus and Ardeadoris egretta

2016

Journal Article

Cleaner wrasse influence habitat selection of young damselfish

Sun, D., Cheney, K.L., Werminghausen, J., McClure, E.C., Meekan, M.G., McCormick, M.I., Cribb, T.H. and Grutter, A.S. (2016). Cleaner wrasse influence habitat selection of young damselfish. Coral Reefs, 35 (2), 427-436. doi: 10.1007/s00338-015-1391-y

Cleaner wrasse influence habitat selection of young damselfish

2016

Journal Article

Fish chromatophores—from molecular motors to animal behavior

Sköld, Helen Nilsson, Aspengren, Sara, Cheney, Karen L. and Wallin, Margareta (2016). Fish chromatophores—from molecular motors to animal behavior. International Review of Cell and Molecular Biology, 321, 171-219. doi: 10.1016/bs.ircmb.2015.09.005

Fish chromatophores—from molecular motors to animal behavior

2015

Journal Article

Rearranged Diterpenes and Norditerpenes from Three Australian Goniobranchus Mollusks.

White, Andrew M., Pierens, Gregory K., Forster, Louise C., Winters, Anne E., Cheney, Karen L. and Garson, Mary J. (2015). Rearranged Diterpenes and Norditerpenes from Three Australian Goniobranchus Mollusks.. Journal of Natural Products, 79 (3), 477-483. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.5b00866

Rearranged Diterpenes and Norditerpenes from Three Australian Goniobranchus Mollusks.

2015

Journal Article

Presence of cleaner wrasse increases the recruitment of damselfishes to coral reefs

Sun, Derek, Cheney, Karen L., Werminghausen, Johanna, Meekan, Mark G., McCormick, Mark I., Cribb, Thomas H. and Grutter, Alexandra S. (2015). Presence of cleaner wrasse increases the recruitment of damselfishes to coral reefs. Biology Letters, 11 (8) 20150456, 1-5. doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2015.0456

Presence of cleaner wrasse increases the recruitment of damselfishes to coral reefs

2015

Journal Article

Isolation of norsesterterpenes and spongian diterpenes from Dorisprismatica (= Glossodoris) atromarginata

Yong, Ken W. L., Mudianta, I. Wayan, Cheney, Karen L., Mollo, Ernesto, Blanchfield, Joanne T. and Garson, Mary J. (2015). Isolation of norsesterterpenes and spongian diterpenes from Dorisprismatica (= Glossodoris) atromarginata. Journal of Natural Products, 78 (3), 421-430. doi: 10.1021/np500797b

Isolation of norsesterterpenes and spongian diterpenes from Dorisprismatica (= Glossodoris) atromarginata

2014

Journal Article

Geographical variation in the benefits obtained by a coral reef fish mimic

Cheney, Karen L., Grutter, Alexandra S. and Bshary, Redouan (2014). Geographical variation in the benefits obtained by a coral reef fish mimic. Animal Behaviour, 88, 85-90. doi: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.11.006

Geographical variation in the benefits obtained by a coral reef fish mimic

2014

Conference Publication

Chemoecological studies on marine natural products: terpene chemistry from marine mollusks

Mudianta, I. Wayan, White, Andrew M., Suciati, Katavic, Peter L., Krishnaraj, Rahul R., Winters, Anne E., Mollo, Ernesto, Cheney, Karen L. and Garson, Mary J. (2014). Chemoecological studies on marine natural products: terpene chemistry from marine mollusks. IUPAC 2013: 44th World Chemistry Congress, Istanbul, Turkey, 11-16 August, 2013. Berlin, Germany: Walter de Gruyter. doi: 10.1515/pac-2013-1111

Chemoecological studies on marine natural products: terpene chemistry from marine mollusks

2014

Journal Article

Conspicuous visual signals do not coevolve with increased body size in marine sea slugs

Cheney, K. L., Cortesi, F., How, M. J., Wilson, N. G., Blomberg, S. P., Winters, A. E., Umanzor, S. and Marshall, N. J. (2014). Conspicuous visual signals do not coevolve with increased body size in marine sea slugs. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 27 (4), 676-687. doi: 10.1111/jeb.12348

Conspicuous visual signals do not coevolve with increased body size in marine sea slugs

2013

Journal Article

Synthesis and determination of the absolute configuration of (-)-(5R,6Z)-dendrolasin-5-acetate from the nudibranch Hypselodoris jacksoni

Mudianta, I. Wayan, Challinor, Victoria L., Winters, Anne E., Cheney, Karen L., De Voss, James J. and Garson, Mary J. (2013). Synthesis and determination of the absolute configuration of (-)-(5R,6Z)-dendrolasin-5-acetate from the nudibranch Hypselodoris jacksoni. Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry, 9 (1), 2925-2933. doi: 10.3762/bjoc.9.329

Synthesis and determination of the absolute configuration of (-)-(5R,6Z)-dendrolasin-5-acetate from the nudibranch Hypselodoris jacksoni

2013

Journal Article

Cleaner fish coloration decreases predation risk in aggressive fangblenny mimics

Cheney, Karen L. (2013). Cleaner fish coloration decreases predation risk in aggressive fangblenny mimics. Behavioral Ecology, 24 (5), 1161-1165. doi: 10.1093/beheco/art043

Cleaner fish coloration decreases predation risk in aggressive fangblenny mimics

2013

Journal Article

The relationship between lunar periodicity and activity of fish-parasitic gnathiid isopods in the Caribbean

Welicky, Rachel L., Cheney, Karen L., Coile, Ann Marie, McCammon, Amber and Sikkel, Paul C. (2013). The relationship between lunar periodicity and activity of fish-parasitic gnathiid isopods in the Caribbean. Marine Biology, 160 (7), 1607-1617. doi: 10.1007/s00227-013-2213-9

The relationship between lunar periodicity and activity of fish-parasitic gnathiid isopods in the Caribbean

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2026
    Understanding the threats to the endangered seahorse, Hippocampus whitei, in south-east Queensland
    Threatened Species Research Grants
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2019 - 2024
    `Super-human' colour vision: how does it improve animal visual performance?
    ARC Future Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2019
    A versatile accurate mass, high resolution QTOF mass spectrometer for chemistry and proteomic applications
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2019
    Imaging Mass Spectrometry at Higher Mass Resolution
    UQ Research Facilities Infrastructure Grants
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2018
    A New Framework for the Analysis of Animal Colour Patterns
    Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment
    Open grant
  • 2016
    Integrative blood coagulation research core facility
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2019
    How different is different: highly contrasting colours in animal patterns
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2014 - 2017
    Understanding colour and chemical diversity in marine molluscs
    The Australia and Pacific Science Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2016
    The evolution of coloured visual signals in marine organisms: a new approach to solving an old, unanswered problem
    UQ Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2013
    The functions of reef fish colour patterns: how did the coral trout get its spots?
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2008
    The role of bright colours in marine nudibranchs: aposematic or camouflage?
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2006 - 2008
    Are conspicuous colours related to defensive chemicals in marine nudibranchs?
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant
  • 2006 - 2011
    The function and maintenance of aggressive mimics: the cleaner fish - fangblenny system
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant

Availability

Associate Professor Karen Cheney is:
Available for supervision

Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Colour Vision in Coral Reef Fish with Five Cone Spectral Sensitivities

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Wen-Sung Chung, Dr Fabio Cortesi

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Cohabitation and hybridization in anemonefish: behaviour, ecology, and strategies for mitigation

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Fabio Cortesi, Dr JP Hobbs

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Understanding the highly complex visual systems of seahorses and implications for conservation measures.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Wen-Sung Chung, Dr Fabio Cortesi

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Colour Vision in Coral Reef Fish with Five Cone Spectral Sensitivities

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Wen-Sung Chung, Dr Fabio Cortesi

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Cohabitation and hybridization in anemonefishes: behaviour, ecology, and exploring restoration

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Fabio Cortesi, Dr JP Hobbs

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The perception and function of marine colour patterns by reef fish predators

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The perception and function of marine colour patterns by reef fish predators

    Principal Advisor

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Understanding the highly complex visual systems of seahorses and implications for conservation measures.

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Wen-Sung Chung, Dr Fabio Cortesi

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Cohabitation and hybridization in anemonefishes: behaviour, ecology, and exploring restoration

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Fabio Cortesi, Dr JP Hobbs

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Cohabitation and hybridization in anemonefish: behaviour, ecology, and strategies for mitigation

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Fabio Cortesi, Dr JP Hobbs

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The Genomics of Hybridization and Introgression in Anemonefishes: Implications for Conservation and Evolutionary Dynamics

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr JP Hobbs, Professor Cynthia Riginos

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Colour vision plasticity of coral reef fish in a changing world

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Fabio Cortesi

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Colour vision plasticity of coral reef fish in a changing world

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Fabio Cortesi

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Climate change and the genetic consequences of hybridisation in clownfishes

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr JP Hobbs, Professor Cynthia Riginos

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Plasticity in the visual systems of coral reef fishes

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Fabio Cortesi

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Associate Professor Karen Cheney directly for media enquiries about:

  • cleaner fish biology
  • colour signalling in marine organisms
  • Coral reef fish behaviour
  • mimicry

Need help?

For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team:

communications@uq.edu.au