I started my research career with my post-graduate project on taxonomy of jellyfishes along the Kerala coast. Inspired from previous work, I extended my research and started my doctoral research on taxonomy, reproductive biology, lifecycle, biochemistry and the blooming of neritic jellyfishes. I am interested in the ecology, evolution and toxicology of scyphozoan and cubozoan jellyfish. As the studies on jelly fishes in Indian context are still at its infancy stage, I am trying to clarify the complexity and ambiguity among the species identification of jellyfish with the aid of conventional and molecular approach and probable reason for jellyfish blooms in the coastal waters of Kerala.

Educational qualifications
MPhil (Aquatic Biology & Fisheries), University of Kerala, 2015
MSc (Aquatic Biology & Fisheries), University of Kerala, 2013

Research Interest
Taxonomy of jellyfish, Molecular phylogeny, Jellyfish blooms, Ecology of jellyfish, Venom characterization

Fellowships
. Kerala University Junior Research Fellowship
. Junior Research Fellowship, KSCSTE

Publications
1. Riyas, A. and Biju Kumar, A. 2021. Jellyfish Fisheries in India: Status and Trends. In: Mariottini, G.L., Killi, N., Xiao, L (Eds.). The Cnidaria Only a Problem or Also a Resource?. Nova Science Publishers, New York, pp 501.

2. Riyas,A., Dahanukar, N., Krishnan, K.A., Kumar A.B., 2021. Scyphozoan jellyfish blooms and their relationship with environmental factors along the South-eastern Arabian Sea. Marine Biology Research, 17:2, 185-199 DOI: 10.1080/17451000.2021.1916034.

3. Riyas, A., Kumar, A., Chandran, M., Jaleel, A., Biju Kumar, A. 2021. The venom proteome of three common scyphozoan jellyfishes (Chrysaora caliparea, Cyanea nozakii and Lychnorhiza malayensis) (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa) from the coastal waters of India. Toxicon, 16(195): 93-103. https://doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2021.03.005.

4. Soumya, K.R., Riyas, A., Mithun, S and Biju Kumar, A. 2021. Ethological Studies on the Jellyfish, Crambionella orsini (Vanhöffen, 1888) (Scyphozoa: Catostylidae) in Captivity. Journal of Aquatic Biology & Fisheries, 9: 124-134.

5. Komai, T., Ravinesh, R., Riyas, A. and Biju Kumar, A. 2020. New records of two sponge-associated species of Upogebia Leach, 1814 from southern India (Decapoda: Gebiidea: Upogebiidae): U. hexaceras (Ortmann, 1894) and U. nithyanandan (Sakai, Türkay & Al Aidaroos, 2015) resurrected from the synonymy of U. balmaorum Ngoc-Ho, 1990. Zootaxa, 4747 (3): 477–494. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4747.3.3.

6. Riyas, A., Kumar, A.B. 2020 . First Record of Box Jellyfish Tripedalia cystophora Conant, 1897 (Cubozoa: Tripedaliidae) from India. Thalassas https://doi.org/10.1007/s41208-020-00242-8

7. Riyas, A., Bijukumar, A and Bhavik Vakani. 2019. First Record of Rhizostome jellyfish Catostylus perezi Ranson 1945 (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa) from the Indian Coasts. Thalassas. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41208-019-00157-z

8. Riyas, A and Biju Kumar, A.2017. Record of Freshwater jellyfish bloom of the invasive Craspedacusta sowerbii Lankester, 1880(Hydrozoa, Limnomedusae) from Kerala. Journal of Aquatic Biology & Fisheries, 5: 154-159.

9. Biju Kumar, A., Bhagyalekshmi, V and Riyas, A. 2017.Climate change Fisheries and Coastal Ecosystem in India. Journal of Aquatic Biology & Fisheries, 5:7-17

10. Galil B.S., Bijukumar, A and Riyas, A.J. 2013. Marivagia stellata Galil and Gershwin, 2010 (Scyphozoa: Rhizostomeae: Cepheidae), found off the coast of Kerala, India. BioInvasions Records 2, 317-318. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.3391/bir.2013.2.4.09

Papers published in Abstract volume of National/International Symposia/Conference
1. Riyas, A. and Bijukumar, A. 2019. Jellyfish blooms along the southwest coast of India: current status and trends. 6th International Jellyfish bloom Symposium at Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa during 4th to 6th November 2019 (Book of Abstract).

2. Riyas, A. and Bijukumar, A. 2019. Venom proteome of three blooming jellyfishes Chrysaora caliparea, Cyanea nozakii and Lychnorhiza malayensis (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa) from the coastal waters of India. 6th International Jellyfish bloom Symposium at Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa during 4th to 6th November 2019 (Book of Abstract).

3. Bijukumar, A and Riyas, A. 2019. Jellyfish blooms in India: ecosystem implications and socio-economic concerns. 6th International Jellyfish bloom Symposium at Iziko South African Museum, Cape Town, South Africa during 4th to 6th November 2019 (Book of Abstract).

(Full list in curriculum vitae)
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