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  • RESEARCH
  • DISCOVER
  • DESCRIBE
  • CONSERVE

Journey of S. D. Biju
a Pathfinder

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Poster
new species

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Biju started his amphibian research in 1990 in the Western Ghats of India and gradually extended fieldwork to North-eastern India in early 2000. After establishing Systematics Lab in the University of Delhi in 2005, his team has done extensive field explorations throughout India to discover and conserve amphibians. Rich diversity, extraordinary endemism and shared evolutionary relationships with other biogeographical regions are some of the highlights of India.

MEDIA

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Systematics & Taxonomy

We believe that the current challenges in systematics are in describing species not yet described and correcting possible errors in current nomenclature (e.g. placement in a wrong genus). Our exploration for new species, began a decade ago, and is still continuing. Though we still use microscopes in our taxonomic work, we supplement it with other parameters such as molecular phylogenetics. We will soon bring out a comprehensive volume on Amphibians of India that will capture the science and spirit of our work.

Selected Publications: Nature | Zool. J. Linn. Soc. | Proc. R. Soc. Lond. | PLoS One | PeerJ | etc

Reproductive Ecology

Mate recognition mechanism is one of the driving forces for speciation. Studies in this field permit reconstruction of evolutionary stepping stones. Our recent research has shifted focus from the geographic context of speciation to the mechanisms that drive the evolution of reproductive isolation between populations. Advertisement calls and reproductive mode could be key factors that contribute to reproductive isolation. Our studies cover these aspects of amphibian behaviour too. Our findings from the Ghats have revealed novel reproductive modes. Evolution of amplexus and development is another focus area for our team.

Selected Publications: PeerJ | PLoS One| Ecology | PLoS One | Breviora | etc

Molecular Phylogeny & Biogeography

India is eminently suited for testing biogeographic hypothesis. The endemic amphibian fauna is rich and has likely evolved through complex interactions between geological and paleoclimatic events. Dispersal and vicariance have strongly influenced the formation of biogeographic patterns. Our current work includes morphological and molecular analyses of known/ new taxa and their closest relatives. The results could indicate geographical relations. This can be used to test hypothesis on historical biogeography.

Selected Publications: Nature | MBE  | Science  | MPE | BMC Evolution | PNAS | etc

Biodiversity Conservation​

About fifty percent of amphibian species in India is under various threat categories. Habitat loss and degradation are the leading causes of decline of amphibians in India. One of the largest impediments to conserving Indian amphibian fauna is the lack of correct identity and incomplete information on distribution range. Currently we are working on the issue of species identification. We use IUCN criteria for conservation prioritization of individual species for proposing conservation measures. We have an initiative – www.wnpata.org, funded by CEPF and USFW, to identify and propose amphibian conservation areas. Lost Amphibians of India (LAI) www.lostspeciesindia.org is a national initiative, with headquarter at Systematics Lab, University of Delhi, to rediscover over 55 amphibian species, thought-to-be lost after their original description.

Selected Publications: Nature | Science  | Biology Letters  | etc

Projects

Our team is in a constant state of readiness. The main constraint is availability of resources. Some of our ongoing plans are already funded. But there is a huge gap between what is needed and what is available as funds.

Projects (Major Grants)
National: 1,80,28,533 INR 
International: USD 228,988 (1,07,62,436 INR) 
Total: 2,87,90,969 INR

  • DBT: Development of DNA Barcode for amphibian fauna of the Western Ghats, DBT, Government of India
  • MoEF: Diversity and endemism of hill stream amphibians of the Western Ghats of Kerala and Karnataka, MoEF, Government of India
  • IUCN/ASG: Amphibians of India: in search of ‘the lost species’, Amphibian Specialist Group (IUCN/SSC) 
  • CEPF/CI: Conservation of Caecilians in the Eastern Himalayas Region, CEPF, Conservation International, Washington, USA
  • Royal Society London/NHM, London: International Joint Project under the scheme Royal Society Program through the Natural History Museum, London (NHM):  Amphibians of Northeast India
  • US Fish and Wildlife: Establishing a Protected Area Network for the Threatened Amphibians of the Western Ghats 
  • PTES/ZSL: Conservation assessment and prioritization of the Indian Purple frog (Nasikabatrachus sp.) through systematics and reproductive biology,  PTES, Zoological Society of London, London
  • University of Delhi: Amphibians of India
  • CEPF/Conservation International: Western Ghats Network of Protected areas for Threatened Amphibians