My journey with life in water began as a child, fishing the pristine water bodies located at my village Venniyoor (near Venganoor), in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala. Several books triggered my interest in aquatic systems and environment, including the books and ocean and environment by Rachel Carson, not to speak of many wonderful teachers. Started research as taxonomist looking at metazoan parasites of flatfish and currently a generalist than a specialist, looking at the diversity and distribution of a variety of aquatic organisms from whales to cnidarians! Of late, stared working on integrative taxonomy, ecology and biogeography of aquatic organisms, and molecular systematics. I believe that willing, unstinted and unabated support from friends and students are the key support elements in my research. Love speaking to the younger generation about sustainability issues and biodiversity science. Work with both government and non-governmental organisations (enjoying the sweet and sour of both) and citizen scientists.

Educational qualifications
PhD (Aquatic Biology & Fisheries), University of Kerala 1996
MPhil (Aquatic Biology & Fisheries), University of Kerala 1992
MSc Aquatic Biology & Fisheries), University of Kerala 1990

Research Interest
Biodiversity documentation, taxonomy (Fish, Crustacea, Mollusca), Integrative taxonomy, Invasion Biology, Conservation Policies

Teaching
Biodiversity, taxonomy, sustainable fisheries, aquatic ecology, education for sustainable development

Awards and Fellowships
Kerala University Merit Scholarship, First Rank in M. Sc. Aquatic Biology & Fisheries (University of Kerala), Junior Research Fellowship of University Grants Commission, Young Scientist Award by State Committee on Science, Technology & Environment, Govt. of Kerala and Indian Academy of Environmental Sciences; Good Service Entry from Government of Kerala; Letter of appreciation from Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India for successfully implementing the National Green Corps (school eco-club programme) in Kerala State; Highest research grant award (Faculty of Science and Applied Science), University of Kerala; several best paper presentation awards (with students)

Hobby
Public speaking, photography

Publications
Over 150 peer reviewed research papers, 21 books, 19 edited books and over 200 popular articles

Selected recent publications
Ghosh, R., Shalini D., Biju Kumar, Neha, S., Rajeev Raghavan, Gayathri, S., Nithin, D., Anoop, V.K., Kannan Shalu, Alolika, S., Apoorva, K., Sandeep Das and Sanjay, M. 2021. Insights on COVID-19 impacts, challenges and opportunities for India’s biodiversity research: From complexity to building adaptations. Biological Conservation 255 (2021) 109003. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109003

12. Chan, T.Y., Hsu, C.Y., Biju Kumar, A. & Chang, S.C. 2020. On the “Plesionika martia” (A. Milne-Edwards, 1883) species group in Indian Waters. Zootaxa 4729 (1): 067–076. doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4729.1.4.

Ng PKL, Priyaja P, Kumar AB, Devi SS (2019) A collection of crabs (Crustacea, Brachyura) from the southwestern coast of India, with a discussion of the systematic position of Nectopanope Wood-Mason in Wood-Mason &Alcock, 1891 (Euryplacidae). ZooKeys 818: 1-24. doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.818.32108

Komai, T., Reshmi, R, Rahayu, D.L. and Kumar, A.B. 2019. Redescription of the little known hermit crab, Clibanarius clibanarius (Herbst, 1791) (Decapoda: Anomura: Diogenidae), based on material from southern India and type material. Zootaxa, 4555 (3): 372-384. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4555.3.6

Devi, S.D., Kumar, A.B. and Ng, PKL. 2019. New records of two brachyuran crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda), Naxioidesrobillardi (Miers, 1882) (Epialtidae) and Lupocyclus tugelae Barnard, 1950 (Portunidae) from India. Thalassas: An International Journal of Marine Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41208-019-00138-2

Kumar, A.B.,Smrithy Raj, Arjun, C.P., Unmesh Katwate and Rajeev Raghavan 2019. Jurassic invaders: flood-associated occurrence of arapaima and alligator gar in the rivers of Kerala. Current Science, 116 (10): 1628-1630.

Ravinesh, R., Kumar, A.B. & Kohn, A.J. 2018. Conidae (Mollusca, Gastropoda) of Lakshadweep, India. Zootaxa 4441 (3): 467-494. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4441.3.3

Ng, P.K.L., Suvarna Devi and Kumar, A.B. 2018. The genus Parilia Wood-Mason, in Wood-Mason & Alcock, 1891, with description of a new species and establishment of a new genus for P. tuberculata Sakai, 1961 (Crustacea, Brachyura, Leucosiidae). Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, 66: 300-319. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4370.4.4

Yang, C.H., Chan, T.Y. and Kumar, A.B. 2018. The deep-sea commercial caridean shrimp, Heterocarpuswoodmasoni (Crustacea: Decapoda: Panalidae), with description of a new species from the western Pacific Ocean. Bulletin of Marine Science, 94(1):85-99. DOI: 10.5343/bms.2017.1119

Ahyong, S.T. and Kumar, A.B. 2018. First records of seven species of mantis shrimp from India (Crustacea: Stomatopoda). Zootaxa 4370 (4): 381-394. doi.org/10.5343/bms.2017.1119

Kumar, A.B., Schofield, P.J., Smrithy, R. and Sima, S. 2018. Salinity tolerance of non-native suckermouth armoured catfish (Loricariidae: Pterygoplichthys sp.) from Kerala, India. Management of Biological Invasions, 9 (1): 49-57.

Bharate, M., Oskars, T.R., Narayana, S., Ravinesh, R., Kumar, A.B. and Malaquias, M.A. (2018) Description of a new species of Haminoea (Gastropoda: Cephalaspidea) from India, with an account of the diversity of the genus in the Indo-West Pacific, Journal of Natural History, 52:37-38, 2437-2456. doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2018.1533598

Komai, T., Ravinesh, R. and Kumar, A.B. (2018). A new species of the hermit crab genus Diogenes Dana, 1851 (Decapoda: Anomura: Diogenidae) from southern India. Zootaxa, 4504 (2): 243-252. DOI:10.11646/zootaxa.4504.2.5

Medrano, S., Krug, P.J., Gosliner, T.M., Kumar, A.B. and Valdes, A. 2018. Systematics of Polybranchia Pease, 1860 (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Sacoglossa) based on molecular and morphological data. ZoologicalJournal of the Linnaean Society, 20: 1-40. doi/10.1093/zoolinnean/zly050/5077298

Aneesh, P.T., Helna, A.K., Kumar, A.B. and Maran, B.A.V. 2018.Redescription of Lernaeenicusstromatei Gnanamuthu, 1953 (Copepoda: Siphonostomatoida: Pennellidae) infesting the Black Pomfret Parastromateusniger (Bloch) from Indian waters. Zootaxa 4482 (2): 375-382. /doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4482.2.9

Arathi AR, Oliver PG, Ravinesh R, Biju Kumar A. (2018). The Ashtamudi Lake short-neck clam: re-assigned to the genus Marcia H. Adams & A. Adams, 1857 (Bivalvia, Veneridae). ZooKeys 799: 1-20. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.799.25829

(Full list in curriculum vitae)
Research gate