Praveen Karanth

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Position: 
Professor and Chairperson
Phone:
Name: Praveen Karanth
Affiliations (Departments/Programs): 
Centre for Ecological Sciences
Office: 
TE-11
Lab Website: 
Lab Webpage
Research Areas: 
Systematics, Molecular Ecology, Evolution
Specialization: 
Historical biogeography and phylogeography. Molecular phylogenetics, Species delimitation using molecular tools, Character evolution, Conservation genetics
Description: 

I am a phylogeneticist interested in studying genetic variation both within species (population genetics and phylogeography) and among species (phylogenetics) to address questions in ecology, evolution, behavior and conservation biology. My research program is primarily concerned in trying to find answers to exciting problems in biology in an evolutionary framework, i.e., through the use of molecular phylogenies. Broad areas of interest include: character evolution, molecular systematics, phylogeography, and biogeography. In addition I am also interested in population and conservation genetics. The lab employs a range of systems such as langurs, geckos, butterflies, tarantulas and centipedes to address these questions. Recently I have also initiated some plant work.

Research overview video link

Selected Publications: 

Aparna Lajmi, Rohini Bansal, Varad Giri and Praveen Karanth (2018) Phylogeny and biogeography of the endemic Hemidactylus geckos of the Indian subregion suggest multiple dispersals from Peninsular India to Sri Lanka. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2018, XX, 1–16.

K. Praveen Karanth (2017) Species complex, species concepts and characterization of cryptic diversity: vignettes from Indian systems. Current Science, 112 (7): 1320-1324.

V. Deepak, Varad B. Giri, Mohammad Asif, Sushil Kumar Dutta, RajuVyas, Amod M. Zambre. Harshal Bhosale, K. Praveen Karanth (2016) Systematics and phylogeny of Sitana (Reptilia: Agamidae) of Peninsular India, with the description of one new genus and five new species. Contributions to Zoology, 85 (1) 67-111.

Sandhya Sekar and K. Praveen Karanth (2015) Does size matter? Comparative population genetics of two butterflies with different Wingspans. Organisms Diversity and Evolution, doi: 10.1007/s13127-015-0214-x. Ashalakshmi C.N, Chetan Nag K. S. and K. Praveen Karanth (2015) Molecules support morphology: Species status of South Indian populations of the widely distributed Hanuman langur. Conservation Genetics, Volume 16 (1): 43-58, doi: 10.1007/s10592-014-0638-4.

Ishan Agarwal, Aaron M. Bauer, Todd R. Jackman and K. Praveen Karanth (2014) Insights into Himalayan biogeography from geckos: A molecular phylogeny of Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 80: 145–155, doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2014.07.018.

Chetan Nag, K. Praveen Karanth, Gururaja Kotambylu Vasudeva (2014) Delineating ecological boundaries of Hanuman langur species complex in Peninsular India using MaxEnt modeling approach. PLoS ONE, 9 (2): e87804, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0087804.

Sandhya Sekar and K. Praveen Karanth (2013) Flying between Sky Islands: the Effect of Naturally Fragmented Habitat on Butterfly Population Structure. PLoS ONE 8 (8): e71573, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0071573.

Jahnavi Joshi and K. Praveen Karanth (2013) Did southern Western Ghats of peninsular India serve as refugia for its endemic biota during the Cretaceous volcanism? Ecology and Evolution 3(10): 3275-3282, doi: 10.1002/ece3.603.

Jahnavi Joshi and K. Praveen Karanth, 2012, Coalescent method in conjunction with niche modeling reveals cryptic diversity among centipedes in the Western Ghats of South India. PLoS ONE, 7(8): e42225. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0042225.

K.S. Chetan Nag, P. Pramod, K. Praveen Karanth, 2011, Field based study of various morphotypes of Hanuman langurs (Semnopithecus entellus) in peninsular India and its taxonomic implications. International journal of Primatology, 32: 830–848.

K. Praveen Karanth, Lalji Singh, Randall V. Collura, and Caro-Beth Stewart, 2008, Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of langurs and leaf monkeys of South Asia (Primates: Colobinae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 46: 683-694.

K. Praveen Karanth, Thomas Delefosse, Berthe Rakotosamimanana, Thomas J. Parson and Anne D. Yoder, 2005, Ancient DNA from giant extinct lemurs confirms single origin of Malagasy primates. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of USA, 102: 5090-5095.

Courses offered:

Advanced methods in molecular phylogenetics (EC304)

Evolutionary biology (co-taught with Kartik Sunagar) (EC201)

Editorial board member: Journal of Genetics Member of IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group (2009-1012)

Lab: 
TE-11