PUBLICATIONS
Refereed Book Chapters and Journal Articles
2024
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Martín, G., Erinjery, J.J., Ediriweera, D., Goldstein, E., Somaweera, R., de Silva, J., Lalloo, D., Iwamura, T. and Murray, K. 2024. Effects of global change on snakebite envenoming incidence up to 2050: a modelling assessment. The Lancet Planetary Health. 2024; 8: e533–44 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R., Putra, A. Sukuma Wati, S., et al. 2024. Trimeresurus insularis (White-lipped Island Pit Viper): Colour. Herpetological Review 54(3):501-502 (Get PDF).
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Aubert, C and 18 co-authors including Somaweera, R. 2024. Estimating total length of partially submerged crocodylians from drone imagery. Drones. 8(3):115; https://doi.org/10.3390/drones8030115 (Read Here)
2023
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Somaweera, R., Udyawer, V., de Fresnes, J., Amarasinghe, T. and Catherall, J. and Molchanova, G. 2023. Coordinated and communal hunting behaviours by Erabu sea krait Laticauda semifactiata. Scientific Reports. 13:21471 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R. and Rene de Roland, L-A. 2023. Crocs in the clouds: highest elevational record for a crocodilian. IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group Newsletter. 42(4):8-10 (Get PDF).
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Bradley, H. and 11 co-authors including Somaweera, R. (accepted). Conserving the Pilbara leaf-nosed bat: directions for future research and management. Pacific Conservation Biology.
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Silva, A., de Alwis, T., Wijesekara, S. and Somaweera, R. 2023. Minimising misidentification of common medically important snakes of Sri Lanka in the hospital setting. Anuradhapura Medical Journal. 17(2):50-57 (Read here).
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Batabyal, A., Zambre, A., Mclaren, T., Rankin, K.J., Somaweera, R., Stuart-Fox, D. and Thaker, M. 2023. The extent of rapid colour change in male agamid lizards is unrelated to overall sexual dichromatism. Ecology and Evolution. 2023;13:e10293 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R., Suyanto, A., Quah, R., Jensen, M. and Amarasinghe, T. 2023. Trimeresurus insularis (White-lipped Island Pit Viper): Terrestriality. Herpetological Review 54(1):145-146 (Get PDF).
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Goldstein, E., Erinjery, J., Martin, G., Kasturiratne, A., Ediriweera, D., Somaweera, R., de Silva, H.J., Diggle, P., Lalloo, D., Murray, K., & Iwamura, T. 2023. Climate change maladaptation for health: Agricultural practice against shifting seasonal rainfall affects snakebite risk for farmers in the tropics. iScience. 26 (2): 105946 (Read here)
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Martín, G., Erinjery, J.J., Ediriweera, D., Goldstein, E., Somaweera, R., de Silva, H.J. Lalloo, D.G., Iwamura, T. and Murray, K.A. (submitted) Global change effects on snakebite: environmental and health sustainability trade-offs. The Lancet Planetary Health.
2022
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Somaweera, R. 2022. Crocodiles. In Smith, B., Waudby, H., Alberthsen, C. & Hampton, J. (Eds.) Wildlife research in Australia: A practical guide. CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne, Australia (Read more).
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Speed, C.W., Wilson, N.G., Somaweera, R., Udyawer, V., Meekan, M.G., Whisson, C., & Miller, K. 2022. Video surveys of sea snakes in the mesophotic zone shed light on trends in populations. Frontiers in Marine Science 9:921542. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.921542 (Get PDF).
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Aiyer, A., Shine, R., Somaweera, R., Bell, T. and Ward-Fear, G. 2022. Shifts in the foraging tactics of crocodiles following invasion of toxic prey. Scientific Reports. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-03629-6 (Get PDF).
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Aiyer, A., Bell, T., Shine, R., Somaweera, R., Bruny, M. and Ward-Fear, G. 2022. Taking the bait: Developing a bait delivery system to target free-ranging crocodiles and varanid lizards with a novel conservation strategy. Ecology and Evolution. doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8933 (Get PDF).
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2021
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Martín, G., Erinjery, J., Gumbs, R., Somaweera, R., Ediriweera, D., Diggle, P., Kasturiratne, A., de Silva, J., Lalloo, D., Iwamura, T. and Murray, K. 2021. Integrating snake distribution, abundance and expert-derived behavioural traits predicts snakebite risk. Journal of Applied Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14081 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R., Udyawer, V., Guinea, M., Ceccarelli, D., Clarke, R., Glover, M., Hourston, M., Keesing, J., Rasmussen, A.R., Sanders, K., Shine., R., Thomson, D., and Webber, B. 2021. Pinpointing Drivers of Extirpation in Sea Snakes: A Synthesis of Evidence From Ashmore Reef. Frontiers in Marine Science. doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.658756 (Read here).
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Somaweera, R. and Somaweera, R. 2021. Nuclear–follower foraging behaviour between Western
Australian common octopus and brown-spotted wrasse. Marine and Freshwater Research. doi.org/10.1071/MF21059 (Read here). -
Somaweera, R., Hoff, O. and Lilley, R. 2021. Gekko kuhli (Kuhl’s Flying Gecko): Indonesia. Herpetological Review 52(3): 576. (Get PDF)
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Lachlan, P., Somaweera, R., Kaiser, S., Ward-Fear, G. and Shine, R. 2021. The impact of invasive toads (Bufonidae) on monitor lizards (Varanidae): an overview and prospectus. Quarterly Review of Biology. 96(2): 105-125 (Get PDF).
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2020
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Somaweera, R., Nifong, J., Rosenblatt, A., Brien, M.L., Combrink, X., Elsey, R.M., Grigg, G., Magnusson, W.E., Mazzotti, F.J., Pearcy, A., Platt, S.G., Shirley, M.H., Tellez, M., van der Ploeg, J., Webb, G., Whitaker, R., and Webber, B.L. 2020. The ecological importance of crocodylians: towards evidence-based justification for their conservation. Biological Reviews doi.org/10.1111/brv.12594 (Get PDF)
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Barr, J., Somaweera, R., Godfrey, S.S., Gardner, M.G. and Bateman, P.W. (2020). When one tail isn’t enough: Abnormal caudal regeneration in non-serpent Squamates and Rhynchocephalia and their potential ecological impacts. Biological Review doi: 10.1111/brv.12625 (Get PDF)
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Somaweera, R., Yeoh, P.B., Jucker, T., Clarke, R.H. and Webber, B.L. 2020. Historical context, current status and management priorities for introduced Asian house geckos at Ashmore Reef, north-western Australia. Bioinvasion Records 9(2):408-420 (Get PDF)
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Cao, R., Somaweera, R., Brittain, K., FitzSimmons, N.N., Georges, A. and Gongora, J. 2020 Genetic structure and diversity of Australian freshwater crocodiles (Crocodylus johnstoni) from the Kimberley, Western Australia. Conservation Genetics doi.org/10.1007/s10592-020-01259-5 (Get PDF)
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Udyawer, V., Somaweera, R., Nitschke, C., d'Anastasi, B., Sanders, K., Webber, B., Hourston, M. and Heupel, M. 2020 Prioritising search effort to locate previously unknown populations of endangered marine reptiles. Global Ecology and Conservation doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01013 (Read).
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Muga, K., Robillard, A.J. and Somaweera, R. 2020. Eretmochelys imbricata (Hawksbill Sea Turtle): Predation. Herpetological Review 51(2):313 (Get PDF).
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Sramek, P. and Somaweera, R. 2020. Limnonectes macrodon from Bali, Indonesia. Taprobanica 9(2) 220-221 (Get PDF).
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Böhm, M. and 46 co-authors including Somaweera, R. (submitted). Retrospective IUCN Red List assessments show increasing trend in extinction risk of reptiles. Biological Conservation.
2019
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Somaweera, R., Brien, M.L., Sonneman, T., Didham, R.K., and Webber, B.L. 2019. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence: knowledge shortfalls threaten the effective conservation of freshwater crocodiles. Global Ecology and Conservation 20: e00773 (Read).
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Shine, R. and Somaweera, R. 2019. Last lizard standing: the enigmatic persistence of the Komodo dragon. Global Ecology and Conservation 18(2019):e00624 (Get PDF).
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Sieniawski, K. and Somaweera, R. 2019. Varanus salvator (Asian water monitor): deep diving. Herpetological Review 50(2):382-383 (Get PDF).
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Pyron, A.R. and Somaweera, R. 2019. Further notes on the Sri Lankan uropeltid snakes Rhinophis saffragamus (Kelaart, 1853) and Uropeltis ruhunae Deraniyagala, 1954. Zootaxa 4560(3):592-600 (Get PDF).
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Nordberg, E.J., Macdonald, S., Hoskins, A., Somaweera, R. and Perry, J. 2019. Can plastic save turtles?: Measuring the impacts of predators and the effectiveness of plastic meshing on marine turtle nests along the western Cape York Peninsula, Australia. Biological Conservation doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108201 (Get PDF).
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Tingley, R. and 52 co-authors including Somaweera, R. 2019. Geographic and taxonomic patterns of extinction risk in Australian squamates. Biological Conservation doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108203 (Read).
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Barr, J., Boisvert, C., Somaweera, R., Trinajstic, K., and Bateman, P. 2019. Re-regeneration to reduce negative effects associated with tail loss in lizards. Scientific Reports 9:18717 (Read).
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2018
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Somaweera, R., Platt, S., Brien, M., Manolis, C. and Webber, B. 2018. Direct and indirect interactions with vegetation shape crocodylian life history traits at multiple scales. Freshwater Biology DOI:10.1111/fwb.13 (Get PDF).
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Barr, J., Somaweera, R., Godfrey, S.S., and Bateman, P.W. 2018. Increased tail length in the King’s skink, Egernia kingii (Reptilia: Scincidae): an anti-predation tactic for juveniles? Biological Journal of the Linnean Society DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/bly196 (Get PDF).
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Udyawer, V. 27 authors including Somaweera, R. 2018. Future directions in marine snake research and management. Frontiers in Marine Science DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2018.00399 (Get PDF).
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Gabadage, D., Surasinghe, T., De Silva, A., Somaweera, R. Madawala, M. and Karunarathna, S. 2018. Zoological and ecological study of the Sri Lankan Keelback (Balanophis ceylonensis): with implications for conservation of a poorly known, endemic snake from Sri Lanka. Vertebrate Zoology 68(3):225-236 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R., Lilley, R., Putra, A., Ganz, P., Govendan, P.N., McKay, J.L. and Milenkaya, O. 2018. Recent additions to the herpetofauna diversity of the island of Bali, Indonesia. Sauria 40(1): 75-86 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R., Rhind, D., Reynolds, S., Eisenberg, C., Sonneman, T. and Woods, D. 2018. Observations of mammalian feeding by Australian freshwater crocodiles (Crocodylus johnstoni) in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Records of the West Australian Museum 33(1): 103-107 (Get PDF).
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Barr, J., Somaweera, R. & Bateman, B. 2018. Ctenotus fallens (West coast ctenotus). Anomalous death through use of modelling clay for research. Herpetological Review 49(2): 327-328 (Get PDF).
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2017
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Morgan, D.L., Somaweera, R., Gleiss, A.C., Beatty, S.J. and Whitty, J.M. 2017. An upstream migration fought with danger: freshwater sawfish fending off sharks and crocodiles. Ecology DOI: 10.1002/ecy.1737 (Get PDF).
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Karunarathna, S., Surasinghe, T., Madawala, M., Somaweera, R., Amarasinghe, T. (published online - http://www.publish.csiro.au/MF/MF17038) Ecological and behavioral traits of the Sri Lanka water monitor (Varanus salvator) in an urban landscape of Western Province in Sri Lanka. Marine and Freshwater Research (Get PDF).
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2016
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Pyron, R. A., Ganesh, S., Sayyed, A., Sharma, V., Wallach, V. and Somaweera, R. 2016. A catalogue and systematic overview of the shield-tailed snakes (Serpentes: Uropeltidae). Zoosystema 38(4):453-506 (Get PDF).
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Auliya, M. and 36 co-authors including Somaweera, R. 2016. Trade in live reptiles and its impact on reptile diversity: the European pet market as a case study. Biological Conservation. 204:103-119 (Get PDF).
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2015
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Whiting, M.J., Noble, D.W.A. and Somaweera, R. 2015. Sexual dimorphism in conspicuousness and ornamentation in enigmatic leaf-nosed lizard Ceratophora tennentii from Sri Lanka. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 116(3):614-625 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R., Pantoja, D.L. and Deepak, V. 2015. Forgotten records of Chrysopelea taprobanica Smith, 1943 (Squamata: Colubridae) from India. Zootaxa. 3947:597-600 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R., Meegaskumbura, M., Bowatte, G. and Wijayathilaka, N. 2015. Conservation in a changing landscape: habitat occupancy of the Critically Endangered Tennent's Leaf-nosed Lizard (Ceratophora tennentii) in Sri Lanka. Journal of Natural History 49(31-32):1961-1985 (Get PDF).
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van Rooijen, J., Vogel, G. and Somaweera, R. 2015. A revision of the taxonomy of the Australopapuan species of the colubrid genus Dendrelaphis (Serpentes: Colubridae). Salamandra. 51:33-56 (Get PDF).
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Sudasinghe, H. and Somaweera, R. 2015. Calotes versicolor (Oriental Garden Lizard). Diet. Herpetological Review 46:625-629 (Get PDF).
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de Silva, A. and Somaweera, R. 2015. Were human babies used as bait in crocodile hunts in colonial Sri Lanka? ournal of Threatened Taxa. 7(1):6805-6809 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R. and Sanders, K. 2015. Guide to the Sea Snakes of the Kimberley Coast of Western Australia. Department of Parks and Wildlife, Perth (Get PDF).
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2014
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Somaweera, R., Woods, D. and Sonneman, T. 2014. A note on the Australian freshwater crocodiles inhabiting Tunnel Creek cave. Records of the West Australian Museum 29:24-29 (Get PDF).
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2013
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Somaweera, R., Shine, R., Webb, J., Dempster, T. and Letnic, M. 2013. Why does vulnerability to toxic invasive cane toads vary among populations of Australian freshwater crocodiles? Animal Conservation 16:86-96 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R., Brien, M. and Shine, R. 2013. The role of predation in shaping the natural history of crocodilians: a review. Herpetological Monographs 27:23-51 (Get PDF).
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Pyron, R.A., Kandambi, D. Hendry, C.R., Pushpamal, V., Burbrink, F.T., and Somaweera, R. 2013. Genus-level molecular phylogeny of snakes reveals the origins of species richness in the Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 66:969-978 (Get PDF).
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Böhm, M., et al. 2013. The conservation status of the world's reptiles. Biological Conservation 157:372-385 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R. and Shine, R. 2013. Nest-site selection by crocodiles at a rocky site in the Australian tropics: making the best of a bad lot. Austral Ecology 38:313-325 (Get PDF).
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Maryan, B., Somaweera, R., Lloyd, R., Bunce, M. and O’Connell, M. 2013. Status of the Airlie Island Ctenotus, Ctenotus angusticeps (Lacertilia: Scincidae), with notes on its distribution, habitat and genetic variation. West Australian Naturalist 29:103-119 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R., Webb, J. and Shine, R. 2013. Extreme monsoonal floods affect Australian freshwater crocodile hatchlings by degrading habitat quality. Pp 197-202 In Proceedings of the 22nd working meeting of the IUCN-SSC Crocodile Specialist Group. IUCN: Gland, Switzerland.
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Somaweera, R. 2013. Book Review: Reptile Biodiversity- standard methods for inventory and monitoring. Ceylon Journal of Science (Bio. Sc.) 42:73-74 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R. 2013. A 'good' snake. LT Magazine. Oct 2013. 98-102 (Get PDF).
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2012
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Somaweera, R. and Shine, R. 2012. Australian freshwater crocodiles (Crocodylus johnstoni) transport their hatchlings to the water. Journal of Herpetology 46:407-411 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R., Wijethilake, N. and Bowatte, G. 2012. Does the invasive shrub Ulex europaeus benefit an endemic Sri Lankan lizard? Herpetological Conservation and Biology 7:219-226 (Get PDF).
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Pizzatto, L., Somaweera, R., Kelehear, C. and Brown, G.P. 2012. Rhinella marina (Bufo marinus: Cane Toad). Prey. Herpetological Review 43:469-47 (Get PDF).
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2011
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Somaweera, R., Webb, J. and Shine, R. 2011. It’s a dog-eat-croc world: dingo predation on the nests of freshwater crocodiles in tropical Australia. Ecological Research 26:957-967 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R., Crossland, M.R. and Shine, R. 2011. Assessing the potential impact of invasive cane toads on a commercial freshwater fishery in tropical Australia. Wildlife Research 38:380-385 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R. and Shine, R. 2011. The (non) impact of invasive cane toads on freshwater crocodiles at Lake Argyle in tropical Australia. Animal Conservation. 15:152-163 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R., Webb, J. and Shine, R. 2011. Determinants of habitat selection by hatchling crocodiles (Crocodylus johnstoni). PLoS ONE 6(12):e28533. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0028533 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R., Webb, J., Brown, G.P. and Shine, R. 2011. Hatchling Australian freshwater crocodiles rapidly learn to avoid toxic invasive cane toads. Behavior 148:501-517 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R. 2011. A report of a probable unprovoked attack by an Australian freshwater crocodile at Lake Argyle in Western Australia. Australian Zoologist 35: 973-976 (Get PDF).
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2008-2010
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Somaweera, R., Somaweera, N. and Shine, R. 2010. Frogs under friendly fire: how well can Australians distinguish native frogs from invasive cane toads? Biological Conservation 143:1477-1484 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R. and Somaweera, N. 2010. Serpents in Jars: Snake Wine Industry in Vietnam. Journal of Threatened Taxa 2(11):1251-1260 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R. 2009. Observations on the reproductive ecology of the Kandyan Day Gecko Cnemaspis kandiana in Gannoruwa, Sri Lanka. Journal of the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka 37:13-22 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R. and Somaweera, N. 2009. An Overview of Sri Lankan Sea Snakes with an Annotated Checklist and a Field Key. Taprobanica 1:43-57 (Get PDF).
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Smith, E.N., Manamendra-Arachchi, K. and Somaweera, R. 2008. A new species of coralsnake of the genus Calliophis (Squamata: Elapidae) from the Central Province of Sri Lanka. Zootaxa 1847:19-33 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R. and Das, I. 2008. Lepidodactylus lugubris (Mourning Gecko) in Malaysia: Sarawak. Herpetological Review 39:368 (Get PDF).
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Wickramasinghe, M. and Somaweera, R. 2008. Changes in the distribution ranges of the Sri Lankan Hemidactylus species. Gekko 5:44-60 (Get PDF).
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Before 2008
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Somaweera, R., Ukuwela, K. and Alagoda, T. 2006. A note on specimens of Gerarda prevostiana (Coubridae: Serpentes) collected from Sri Lanka. Ceylon Journal of Science (Bio. Sci.) 35:91-93 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R. 2006. Defensive posture in Kaloula taprobanica Parker (Microhylidae: Amphibia). Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 103:108-109 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R. 2004. A bark gecko (Hemidactylus leschenaultii) preying on a wolf snake (Lycodon striatus sinhaleyus). Gekko 4(2):8-10 (Get PDF).
- Somaweera, R. 2004. The Sri Lankan Colubrid snakes. Sri Lanka Naturalist 6:32-46 (Get PDF).
- Somaweera, R., Wijayamohan, S., Vandercone, R., Wijesundara, C. and Santiapillai, C. 2004. Discovery of crocodiles on Mannar island, Sri Lanka. IUCN Crocodile specialist group newsletter 23:10-11 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R., Sarathchandra, K., Karunaratne, S. and Nuwansiri, C. 2004. A study on the avifauna and herpetofauna of Panama, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Naturalist 6:1-9 (Get PDF).
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Wickramasinghe, M. and Somaweera, R. 2003. Distribution and current status of the endemic geckos of Sri Lanka. Gekko 3:2-13 (Get PDF).
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Somaweera, R. and Ukuwela, K. 2001. The amphibian fauna of Menikdena Archaeological Reserve and Arboretum, Sri Lanka. Lyriocephalus 4:110-115 .
Books
‘Snakes of Sri Lanka’
(1st Edition)
2006. Wildlife Heritage Trust of Sri Lanka
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Posters
Herbivorous Mammals of
Sri Lanka
2007. Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society
Guide to the Sea Snakes of the Kimberley Coast of WA
2015. Department of Parks and Wildlife
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