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Untitled Document
Academic Staff member

Prof. (Mrs.) D.H.N. Munasinghe

Professor

B.Sc. (Ruhuna, SL)
Ph.D. (Deakin, Australia)

Email - Dhnm@zoo.ruh.ac.lk

LinnkedIn ResearchGate Google Scholar

  • Resource person for modules:
  • Bachelor of Science (General Degree)
  • Chordate organization and diversity
  • Mammalian organization and diversity
  • Comparative animal
  • physiology
  • Evolution and Zoogeography
  • Animal Ecology
  • Molecular genetics and Biotechnology
  • Bachelor of Science (Special Degree) - Ecosystem Structure and function
  • Molecular biology and genetics
  • Evolutionary biogeography
  • Conservation and management of Environment
  • Fisheries Biology and Aquaculture
  • Supervision - Undergraduate research:
  • Molecular Identification, estimation of nutritional components and heavy metal concentrations in Canthidermis maculata (Bloch, 1786) collected from southern coast of Sri Lanka with potential usage of fish skin for value added products.
  • Comparison of two colour varieties of Cephalopholis sonnerati (Valenciennes, 1828) Using morphological, molecular and proximate composition data.
  • Investigation of parasite density of two ornamental fish species: goldfish and koi carp, in Rambodagalle Ornamental Fish Breeding Center.
  • Species identification of edible crab species in southern coastal region of Sri Lanka using DNA bar coding region.
  • � Determination of pH and Aluminum concentration of the residuals of Malimbada water treatment plant.
  • Taxonomic status and temporal fluctuation of Population structure of Macrobrachium idae in Nilwala River, Matara, Sri Lanka.
  • Morphological variations of populations of Macrobrachium rosenbergii in Sri Lanka.
  • Distributional pattern of molluscan fauna in Luniwila Ela, Galle, Sri Lanka.
  • Analyse of proximate composition and sequencing of mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) gene region of Holothuria atra living in three different geographical regions in Sri Lanka.
  • Supervision - Postgraduate research:
  • Species level identification of gill trematode (Centrocestus sp.) of cultured koi carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Sri Lanka and an experimental study of its life cycle, efficiency of infection and histopathological effects on intermediate and definitive host species.
  • Investigation of population genetic structure and the habitat characteristics of commercially important lobster species Panulirus homarus populations in southern coastal belt of Sri Lanka.
  • Morphometric and molecular characterization of two freshwater prawn species Macrobrachium rosenbergii and Macrobrachium malcolmsonii.
  • Molecular genetics with special reference to fisheries
  • Fish parasitology
  • Ecology
  • Editorials:
  • D.H.N. Munasinghe, Rishi K. Tyagi, K.H.M. Ashoka Deepananda, Frank Niranjan and Ravi K. Khetarpal (2020) Regional Workshop on Underutilized Fish and Marine Genetic Resources and their Amelioration - Country Status Reports. Asia-Pacific Association for Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI), Bangkok, Thailand, xiv+129 p.
  • Rishi K. Tyagi, D.H.N. Munasinghe, K.H.M. Ashoka Deepananda, Frank Niranjan and Ravi K. Khetarpal (2020) Regional Workshop on Underutilized Fish and Marine Genetic Resources and their Amelioration – Proceedings and Recommendations. Asia-Pacific Association for Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI), Bangkok, Thailand, xii+55 p.
  • Full papers: Published in journals cited in Science Citation Index
  • �.G.D. Sumuduni , D.H.N. Munasinghe and A. Arulkanthan (2020) Investigation of complete life cycle and species identification of a digenean gill parasite Centrocestus sp. infesting Koi carp (Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758) using morphology and morphometric characters. Ceylon Journal of Science 49(2) 185-194.
  • • Bannak G.D. Sumuduni, Dona H.N. Munasinghe, Appudurai Arulkanthan (2018).
  • Chronological analysis of the damages caused by the metacercariae of Centrocestus formosanus in the gills of Cyprinus carpio and lesions caused by the adult flukes in Ardeola ralloides: An experimental study. International Journal of Veterinary Science and Medicine 6: (2)165–171.
  • • Sumuduni B.G.D., Munasinghe D.H.N. and Arulkanthan A. (2017). Survivability and Transmission rate of Centrocestus sp. Cercariae larvae to early fingerlings of Koi carp (Cyprinus carpio) and Lethal number of parasites to fry stage with site preference of infection. Journal of Fisheries and Life Sciences 2(2): 35 -39.
  • • Senevirathna J.D.M., Munasinghe D.H.N. Mather P. B. (2016). Assessment of Genetic Structure in Wild Populations of Panulirus homarus (Linnaeus, 1758) across the South Coast of Sri Lanka Inferred from Mitochondria DNA Sequences. International Journal of Marine Science 6(6): 1-9.
  • • Benthotage Chamara Jayasankha De Silva, Dona Hemali Nandana Munasinghe (2016).
  • Determination of Taxonomic Status and Phylogenetic Affinities of Common Edible Crab Species in Southern Coast of Sri Lanka Using DNA Barcoding Gene Region.
  • Advances in Zoology and Botany 4(1): 6-15.
  • • Munasinghe D.H.N. (2015). Morphological and genetic diversity levels of Penaeus monodon (Fabricus, 1798) populations in three coastal regions of Sri Lanka. Indian Journal of Fisheries; 62(1): 12 -17.
  • • B.G.D. Sumuduni, D.H.N. Munasinghe, W.P.R. Chandrarathna and N.J. De S.Amarasinghe (2015). Seasonal variation and site specificity of external parasites in gold fish (Carassiusauratus L.) and koi carp (Cyprinuscarpio L.) in Rambadagalle Ornamental Fish Breeding Center, Sri Lanka.Ruhuna Journal of ScienceVol 6: 13-20.
  • • Munasinghe D.H.N., Senevirathna J.D.M. (2015). Phenotypic Plasticity and Genetic Variation of Two Wild Populations of Green tiger Shrimp (Penaeus semisulcatus - De Haan, 1844). International Journal of Marine Science; .5(.5): 1-8.
  • • Munasinghe, D. H. N. and Thushari G.G.N. (2014). Length - weight relationship and molecular phylogenetic analysis to infer status of Uroteuthis duvaucelii (d’Orbigny 1835) population in the southern coastal region of Sri Lanka. International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Studies; 2(1): 223-231.
  • • Sumuduni, B. G. D., Munasinghe, D. H. N., Chandrarathna, W. P. R. and De S. Amarasinghe, N. J. (2014) Relationship between condition factor and external parasite density of gold fish (Carassius auratus (linnaeus, 1758)) and koi carp (Cyprinus carpio (linnaeus, 1758)) during dry and wet seasons. International Journal of Current Research 6(9): .8282-8285.
  • • Senevirathna J.D.M, Thushari G.G.N. and Munasinghe D.H.N. (2014). Length-weight relationship of spiny lobster, Panulirus homarus population inhabiting southern coastal region of Sri Lanka. International Journal of Science, Environment and Technology, Vol. 3, No 2, 2014, 607 – 614.
  • • D.M. Senevirathna and D. H.N. Munasinghe (2013). Identification of Taxonomic Status of Spiny Lobster Species in Sri Lanka Using DNA Barcoding and its Implications on Fisheries and Conservation Programs. Tropical Agricultural Research Vol. 25 (1): 96 – 108.
  • • Munasinghe D.H.N, Thushari G.G.N. (2010) Analysis of morphological variation of four populations of Macrobracium rosenbergii (Crustacea: Decapoda) in Sri Lanka. Ceylon Journal of Science (Biological sciences) 39: 53-60.
  • • Munasinghe D.H.N. (2010) Phylogenetic relationships of freshwater prawn Macrobrachium species in Sri Lanka: inferred from mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene region. Journal of National Science Foundation Sri Lanka 38: 193-200.
  • • Munasinghe D.H.N., Burridge C. P. and Austin C. M. (2004). The systematics of freshwater crayfish of the genus Cherax Erichson (Decapoda: Parastacidae) in eastern Australia re-examined using nucleotide sequences from 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA genes. Invertebrate Systematics 18: 215-225.
  • • Munasinghe D.H.N., Burridge C. P. and Austin C. M. (2004). Molecular Phylogeny and zoogeography of the freshwater crayfish genus Cherax Erichson (Parastacidae: Decapoda) in Australia. Biological Journal of Linnean Society 81: 553-561.
  • • Munasinghe D.H.N., Murphy N. P. and Austin C. M. (2003) Utility of mitochondrial DNA sequences from four gene regions for systematic studies of Australian freshwater crayfish of the genus Cherax Erichson (Decapoda: Parastacidae). Journal of Crustacean Biology 23 (2), 402-417.
  • • U P Hettiaratchi, D. H. Munasinghe, N. V. Chandrasekharan, E. H. Karunanayake, N. Jayasekera (2000). A polymerase chain reaction based method for the detection of Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: culicidae). Bulletin of Entomological Research 90 (1) :63-8.
  • (I) Awards for Academic Achievements
  • 1. Recipient of the L.C. De Silva memorial gold medal - 1997 donated by Professor Sena S. De Silva for the student who receives the 1st Class Honours Degree and scored best results in Biological stream at the examination conducted in the Year 1996, University of Ruhuna, Matara, Sri Lanka.
  • 2. Vice Chancellor's Award for The Highest Recipient of Grant 2011 Awarded at the Ninth Academic Sessions of the University of Ruhuna, held on 22 February, 2012.
  • (II) Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards
  • 3. Recipient of the 2008 Endeavour Research Fellowship for Postdoctoral Research - awarded by the Australian government. Period: 01.07.2008 31.12.2008 (Six months)
  • 4. Recipient of the UNESCO-Keizo Obuchi Research Fellowship for Postdoctoral studies 2008. Period: 01.10.2008 31.07.2009 (nine months).
  • 5. Fulbright Fellowship 2011/2012 offered by United States Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission (US-SLFC) to undertake research in the field of population genetics and to enhance the research skills in the field. Period: 01.03.2012 31.08.2012 (Six months).
  • (III) Presidential Awards for research publications in indexed journals �
  • Year 2003
  • 6. Munasinghe D.H.N., Murphy N. P. and Austin C. M. (2003) Utility of mitochondrial DNA sequences from four gene regions for systematic studies of Australian freshwater crayfish of the genus Cherax Erichson (Decapoda: Parastacidae). Journal of Crustacean Biology 23 (2): 402-417. Awarded on 27.10.2010.
  • Year 2004
  • 7. Munasinghe D.H.N., Burridge C. P. and Austin C. M. (2004). The systematics of freshwater crayfish of the genus Cherax Erichson (Decapoda: Parastacidae) in eastern Australia re-examined using nucleotide sequences from 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA genes. Invertebrate Systematics 18: 215-225. Awarded on 27.10.2010.
  • 8. Munasinghe D.H.N., Burridge C. P. and Austin C. M. (2004). Molecular Phylogeny and zoogeography of the freshwater crayfish genus Cherax Erichson (Parastacidae: Decapoda) in Australia. Biological Journal of Linnaean Society 81: 553-561. Awarded on 27.10.2010.
  • (IV) Awards for Best Paper presenter in Scientific Forums
  • 9. Recipient of the award for �Best presenter, Faculty of Science � Oral sessions� the best scientific paper in the oral session� at the Sixth Academic Sesions of University of Ruhuna held on 26th March 2009.
  • 10. Received the �Best Research Paper� award for presenting paper titled �Availability of morphologically Similar, genetically diverge Penaeus monodon populations in Sri Lanka� at the International Conference on Emerging Trends in Scientific Research held on 15-16 March 2014 Pearl International Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
  • (V) Awards for Supervision of Research Degrees
  • 11. Recipient of the award offered by the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka (NSF): Support Scheme for Supervision of Research Degrees (SUSRED) in 2016.
  • (VI) Awards for training programs
  • 12. Recipient of the award for short term training program on �Hands on training of Molecular Biology Techniques� which was held on 15.10.2007 to 14.11.2007 at Indian Veterinary Research Institute, India. Sponsored by TCS Colombo Plan Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Government of India.
  • 13. Recipient of the award for short term training program on Leadership course for Asian Women R, D & E which was held on 03.03.2008 to 14.02.2008 at International Rice Research Institute, Philippines. Sponsored by International Foundation for Science (IFS), Sweden.
  • National Level
  • Serve as a committee member, General Research Committee, Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (SLASS).
  • Serve as a resource person for workshops organized by the Central environmental Authority, Southern Province for School Environmental pioneering program.
  • � A life member of Senior Scientist Forum (SSF), Sri Lanka.
  • � A life member of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (SLASS).
  • � A life member of Sri Lanka Association for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (SLAFAR)
  • University Level
  • Head Department of Zoology
  • � Editor-In-Chief, Journal of University of Ruhuna
  • � Member of the Faculty Technology Transfer Cell
  • � Student Mentor for the Faculty of Science, University.