James Nankivell

Mr James Nankivell

Externally-Funded Postdoctoral Research Fellow

School of Biological Sciences

College of Science


I am broadly interested in the evolution, systematics and conservation of reptiles. I apply a range of techniques to conduct my research ranging form traditional field and museum based work through to modern genetic and imaging methods.My current Postdoctoral research is focussed around the role of prawn trawl bycatch in the conservation of sea snakes. I have worked closely with industry and government bodies in Western Australia improving the reliability of sea snake bycatch data recording. This has involved substantial time at sea on trawl vessels and is yielding new insights into sea snake conservation, population dynamics and ecology. I have ongoing projects on the population genetics and taxonomy of sea snakes as well as other groups of Australian terrestrial elapids. These projects make use of of the latest NGS sequencing techniques but also highlight the important role of natural history museums in cataloging and conserving biodiversity.

Date Position Institution name
2023 - ongoing Postdoctoral Research Associate University of Adelaide

Year Citation
2025 Bessesen, B., González-Suárez, M., Saborío-R, G., Myers, E. A., Buzás, B., Géczy, C., . . . Nankivell, J. H. (2025). The Golfo Dulce yellow sea snake (Elapidae: Hydrophis platurus xanthos) from morphological and molecular perspectives. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 205(2), 14 pages.
DOI
2025 Nankivell, J. H., & Sanders, K. L. (2025). Convergent morphological and genetic patterns delimit Evolutionary Significant Units in endangered Aipysurus sea snakes.. BMC ecology and evolution.
DOI
2023 NANKIVELL, J. H., MARYAN, B., BUSH, B. G., & HUTCHINSON, M. N. (2023). Whip it into shape: Revision of the Demansia psammophis (Schlegel, 1837) complex (Squamata: Elapidae), with a description of a new species from central Australia. Zootaxa, 5311(3), 301-339.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1
2022 Sherratt, E., Nash-Hahn, T., Nankivell, J., Rasmussen, A. R., Hampton, P. M., & Sanders, K. (2022). Macroevolution in axial morphospace: innovations accompanying the transition to marine environments in elapid snakes. Royal Society Open Science, 9(12), 1-12.
DOI Scopus9 WoS9 Europe PMC9
2021 Crowe-Riddell, J. M., Dix, S., Pieterman, L., Nankivell, J. H., Ford, M., Ludington, A. J., . . . Allen, L. (2021). From matte banded to glossy black: structures underlying colour change in the caudal lures of southern death adders (Acanthophis antarcticus, Reptilia: Elapidae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 132(3), 666-675.
DOI Scopus7 WoS4
2021 Melville, J., Chapple, D. G., Keogh, J. S., Sumner, J., Amey, A., Bowles, P., . . . Tingley, R. (2021). A return-on-investment approach for prioritization of rigorous taxonomic research needed to inform responses to the biodiversity crisis.. PLoS biology, 19(6), e3001210.
DOI Scopus19 WoS20 Europe PMC8
2020 Nankivell, J. H., Goiran, C., Hourston, M., Shine, R., Rasmussen, A. R., Thomson, V. A., & Sanders, K. L. (2020). A new species of turtle-headed sea Snake (Emydocephalus: Elapidae) endemic to Western Australia. Zootaxa, 4758(1), 141-156.
DOI Scopus10 WoS8 Europe PMC2
2019 Crowe-Riddell, J. M., D'Anastasi, B. R., Nankivell, J. H., Rasmussen, A. R., & Sanders, K. L. (2019). First records of sea snakes (Elapidae: Hydrophiinae) diving to the mesopelagic zone (>200 m). Austral Ecology, 44(4), 752-754.
DOI Scopus17 WoS16

Year Citation
- Nankivell, J. (n.d.). Supplementary Data: Whip it into shape: Revision of the Demansia psammophis (Schlegel, 1837) complex (Squamata: Elapidae), with a description of a new species from central Australia.
DOI

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