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Dr Kanishka D.B. Ukuwela

Senior Lecturer

kanishka@as.rjt.ac.lk | kanishkauku@gmail.com

Education

  • PhD in Evolutionary Biology – University of Adelaide, Australia (2014)
  • B.Sc (Honors) in Zoology – University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka (2007)

Professional Qualification

  • Certificate Course in Teaching in Higher Education

Memberships of Professional Bodies/Associations

  • Member of IUCN Species Survival Commission Sea snake specialist group
  • Member of IUCN Species Survival Commission Skink specialist group
  • Member of IUCN Species Survival Commission Amphibian specialist group

Research Interests

  • I am interested in understanding the diversity, origins and patterns and processes of speciation in the South Asian herpetofauna.
  • I use traditional morphology, molecular phylogenetics and population genetics as tools to answer questions in above areas.

Teaching Courses

  • BIO 1201 – Cell Biology and Biochemistry
  • ZOO 1201 – Invertebrate Diversity
  • ZOO 1303 – Vertebrate Diversity
  • BIO 2201 – Systematic Biology
  • BIO 2203 – Genetics and Evolution
  • BIO 3204 – Bioinformatics

Academic Publication Reviewing

Manuscript Reviewer

  • Biotropica
  • Biodiversity Journal
  • Coral Reef
  • Amphibian and Reptile Conservation
  • Ceylon Journal of Science (Biological Science)
  • Diversity & Distributions
  • Global Ecology and Conservation
  • TAPROBANICA
  • Herpetotropicos
  • Journal of Biogeography
  • Proceedings of the Royal Society B
  • Russian Journal of Herpetology
  • Zootaxa

Researches and Projects

  • Systematics and Biogeography of the skink fauna of Sri Lanka.
  • Amphibian diversity of Kandyan home garden ecosystems and its environs in central Sri Lanka.

Publications

Indexed Refereed Journals

  • Chapple, D.G., Roll, U., Bohm, M. et al., Ukuwela, K.D.B., Tingley, R., Meiri, S. (2021) Conservation status of the world’s skinks (Scincidae): Taxonomic and geographic patterns in extinction risk. Biological Conservation, 257:1-12 [109101]. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109101).
  • Rupasinghe, U.A.L.D., Vandercone, R.P.G. & Ukuwela, K.D.B. (2021) Habitat associations and distribution Modeling of the Endangered frog Pseudophilautus zorro in Sri Lanka. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 16(1): 38–46.
  • Karunarathna, S., de Silva, A., Gabadage, D., Botejue, M., Madawala, M. & Ukuwela, K.D.B. (2021) A new species of day gecko (Reptilia: Gekkonidae: Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887) from Sri Lanka with and updated ND2 gene phylogeny of Sri Lankan and Indian species. Zoosystematics & Evolution, 97(1): 191–209. (DOI: 10.3897/zse.97.60099).
  • Sarathchandra,R.B.L.R., Ukuwela, K.D.B., & Vandercone, R.P.G. (2020) Dietary ecology of common amphibian species in a seasonal location in northern Sri Lanka. Journal of Natural History, 54(24-27): 1792-1812. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2020.1820093)
  • Ukuwela, K.D.B., Bandara, I.N., de Zoysa, H.K.S., Rupasinghe, U.A.L.D., Vandercone, R.P.G. (2020) New Localities, Distribution and Habitat Modeling of the Critically Endangered Sri Lankan Frog Nannophrys marmorata. Russian Journal of Herpetology, 27(1): 33-40. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.30906/1026-2296-2020-27-1-33-40)
  • Karunarathna, S., Bauer, A.M. de Silva, A., Surasinghe, T., Somaratna, T., Madawala, M., Gabadage, D., Botejue, M., Henkanaththegedara, S. & Ukuwela, K.D.B. (2019) Description of a new species of the genus Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Nilgala Savannah forest, Uva Province of Sri Lanka. Zootaxa, 4545(3): 389-407.
  • de Silva, A., Sandaruwan, W.M.J., Zoysa, H.K.S. & Ukuwela, K.D.B. (2017) An authentic record of Eutropis bibronii (Gray, 1838) (Reptilia: Scincidae) from Sri Lanka. Zootaxa, 4329: 175-182.
  • Razzaque Sarker, M.A., Sanders, K.L., Ukuwela, K.D.B. & Jamam, F.J. (2017) Sea Snakes of Bangladesh: A Preliminary Survey of Cox’s Bazar District With Notes on Diet, Reproduction, and Conservation Status. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 12: 384-393.
  • Jayawardena, B., Senevirathne, G., Wijayathilaka, N., Ukuwela, K., Manamendra-Arachchi, K. & Megaskumbura, M. (2017) Species boundaries, biogeography and evolutionarily significant units in dwarf toads: Duttaphrynus scaber and D. atukoralei (Bufonidae: Adenominae) Ceylon Journal of Science, 46: 79-87. (DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v46i5.7455)
  • Ukuwela, K.D.B., Lee, M.S.Y., Rasmussen, A.R., De Silva, A., Mumpuni, Fry, B.G., Ghezellou, P., Rezaie-Atagholipour,M. & Sanders, K.L. (2016) Evaluating the drivers of Indo-Pacific biodiversity: speciation and dispersal of sea snakes (Elapidae: Hydrophiinae). Journal of Biogeography, 43: 243-255. (DOI:10.1111/jbi.12636)
  • Ukuwela, K.D.B., De Silva, A., Mumpuni, Fry, B.G. & Sanders, K.L. (2014) Multi-locus phylogeography of the sea snake Hydrophis curtus reveals historical vicariance and cryptic speciation. Zoologica Scripta, 43: 472-484.
  • Ukuwela, K.D.B., De Silva, A., Mumpuni, Fry, B.G., Lee, M.SY. & Sanders, K.L. (2013) Molecular evidence that the deadliest sea snake Enhydrina schistosa (Elapidae: Hydrophiinae) consists of two convergent species. Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution, 66: 262-269.
  • Ukuwela, K.D.B., Sanders, K.L. & Fry, B.G. (2012) Hydrophis donaldi (Elapidae, Hydrophiinae), a highly distinctive new species of sea snake from northern Australia. Zootaxa, 3201: 45-57.
  • Ukuwela, K.D.B. & Ranawana, K.B. (2011) The presence of Polypedates cruciger tadpoles reduces the growth of Duttaphrynus melanostictus tadpoles under laboratory conditions. Herpetology Notes, 4(1): 155-158.
  • Ukuwela, K.D.B., Silva, E.I.L & Athukorala, N.P. (2010) The tadpole of Ramanella palamata (Anura: Microhylidae), a frog endemic to Sri Lanka. Zootaxa, 2628: 63-65.
  • Karunarathna, S., Bauer, A.M. de Silva, A., Surasinghe, T., Somaratna, T., Madawala, M., Gabadage, D., Botejue, M., Henkanaththegedara, S. & Ukuwela, K.D.B. (2019) Description of a new species of the genus Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Nilgala Savannah forest, Uva Province of Sri Lanka. Zootaxa, 4545(3): 389-407.
  • Ukuwela, K.D.B., de Silva, A. & Sanders, K.L. (2017) Further specimens of the mud snake, Gerarda prevostiana (Homalopsidae) from Sri Lanka with insights from molecular phylogenetics. RAFFLES BULLETIN OF ZOOLOGY, 65: 29-34.
  • de Silva, A., Sandaruwan, W.M.J., Zoysa, H.K.S. & Ukuwela, K.D.B. (2017) An authentic record of Eutropis bibronii (Gray, 1838) (Reptilia: Scincidae) from Sri Lanka. Zootaxa, 4329: 175-182.
  • Razzaque Sarker, M.A., Sanders, K.L., Ukuwela, K.D.B. & Jamam, F.J. (2017) Sea Snakes of Bangladesh: A Preliminary Survey of Cox’s Bazar District With Notes on Diet, Reproduction, and Conservation Status. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 12: 384-393.
  • Ukuwela, K.D.B., Lee, M.S.Y., Rasmussen, A.R., de Silva, A. & Sanders, K.L. (2017) Biogeographic origins of the viviparous sea snake assemblage (Elapidae) of the Indian Ocean. Ceylon Journal of Science 46 (Special Issue): 101-110. (DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v46i5.7457)
  • Jayawardena, B., Senevirathne, G., Wijayathilaka, N., Ukuwela, K., Manamendra-Arachchi, K. & Megaskumbura, M. (2017) Species boundaries, biogeography and evolutionarily significant units in dwarf toads: Duttaphrynus scaber and D. atukoralei (Bufonidae: Adenominae) Ceylon Journal of Science, 46: 79-87. (DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/cjs.v46i5.7455)
  • Ukuwela, K.D.B., Lee, M.S.Y., Rasmussen, A.R., De Silva, A., Mumpuni, Fry, B.G., Ghezellou, P., Rezaie-Atagholipour,M. & Sanders, K.L. (2016) Evaluating the drivers of Indo-Pacific biodiversity: speciation and dispersal of sea snakes (Elapidae: Hydrophiinae). Journal of Biogeography, 43: 243-255. (DOI:10.1111/jbi.12636)
  • Ukuwela, K.D.B., De Silva, A., Mumpuni, Fry, B.G. & Sanders, K.L. (2014) Multi-locus phylogeography of the sea snake Hydrophis curtus reveals historical vicariance and cryptic speciation. Zoologica Scripta, 43: 472-484.
  • Ukuwela, K.D.B., De Silva, A., Mumpuni, Fry, B.G., Lee, M.SY. & Sanders, K.L. (2013) Molecular evidence that the deadliest sea snake Enhydrina schistosa (Elapidae: Hydrophiinae) consists of two convergent species. Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution, 66: 262-269.
  • Ukuwela, K.D.B., Sanders, K.L. & Fry, B.G. (2012) Hydrophis donaldi (Elapidae, Hydrophiinae), a highly distinctive new species of sea snake from northern Australia. Zootaxa, 3201: 45-57.
  • Asela, M.D.C., Ukuwela, K.D.B., Bandra, I.N., Kandambi, H.K.D., Surasinghe, T.D. & Karunarathna, D.M.S.S. (2012) Natural History and current distribution patterns of Calotes liolepis Boulenger, 1885 (Reptilia: Agamidae: Draconinae) in Sri Lanka. Herpetotropicos, 8(1-2): 39-47.

Books

  • de Silva, A. Ukuwela, K., Chathuranga, D. (2021) A Photographic Field Guide TO THE AMPHIBIANS OF SRI LANKA. John Beaufoy Publishing Ltd. Oxford, UK.
  • de Silva, A & Ukuwela, K. (2017) A NATURALIST’S GUIDE TO THE REPTILES OF SRI LANKA. John Beaufoy Publishing Ltd. Oxford, UK.