Rishab Pillai

Rishab Pillai

School of Biological Sciences

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Dr Rishab Pillai is a postdoctoral researcher in the Quantitative Morphology Group at the University of Adelaide. His research interests lie in the functional morphology of vertebrates and their ecological interactions. Rishab’s current work focuses on understanding the ecological factors that drive morphological evolution in invasive species.

  • Awards and Achievements
    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2024 Teaching Award Excellence in Community Engagement Award James Cook University Vanuatu -
    2021 Research Award James Cook University Competitive Research Training Grant James Cook University Australia 5000
    2021 Research Award Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment Ecological Society of Australia Australia 15000
    2020 Scholarship International Postgraduate Research Scholarship Australian Government and James Cook University Australia 82,500

  • Language Competencies
    Language Competency
    English Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review
    Hindi Can read, write, speak and understand spoken
    Malayalam Can speak and understand spoken
    Marathi Can read, write, speak and understand spoken

  • Research Interests
    Anatomy & Morphology Ecology Evolutionary Biology Animal Structure and Function Invasive Species Ecology

  • Journals
    Year Citation
    2025 Sherratt, E., Böhmer, C., Callou, C., Nelson, T. J., Pillai, R., Ruf, I., . . . Geiger, M. (2025). From wild to domestic and in between: how domestication and feralization changed the morphology of rabbits. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 292(2050), 20251150-1-20251150-10.
    DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC2
    2025 Riedel, J., Wirth, W., Allen-Ankins, S., Nordberg, E., Edwards, W., Schwarzkopf, L., & Pillai, R. (2025). Whats the point? The functional role of claws in pad-bearing geckos (Gekkota: Diplodactylidae). Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 292(2054), 10 pages.
    DOI Europe PMC2
    2023 Pillai, R. R., Riedel, J., & Schwarzkopf, L. (2023). The role of ecdysis in repair of an attachment system: a case study using geckos. Journal of Experimental Biology, 226(10), 10 pages.
    DOI Scopus4 WoS4 Europe PMC4
    2021 Schultz, J. T., Cieri, R. L., Proost, T., Pilai, R., Hodgson, M., Plum, F., & Clemente, C. J. (2021). Tail Base Deflection but not Tail Curvature Varies with Speed in Lizards: Results from an Automated Tracking Analysis Pipeline. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 61(5), 1769-1782.
    DOI WoS5 Europe PMC4
    2020 Pillai, R., Nordberg, E., Riedel, J., & Schwarzkopf, L. (2020). Nonlinear variation in clinging performance with surface roughness in geckos. Ecology and Evolution, 10(5), 2597-2607.
    DOI Scopus22 WoS22 Europe PMC15
    2020 Pillai, R., Nordberg, E., Riedel, J., & Schwarzkopf, L. (2020). Geckos cling best to, and prefer to use, rough surfaces. Frontiers in Zoology, 17(1), 12 pages.
    DOI Scopus13 WoS12 Europe PMC6
    2020 Fushida, A., Riedel, J., Nordberg, E. J., Pillai, R., & Schwarzkopf, L. (2020). Can Geckos Increase Shedding Rate to Remove Fouling?. Herpetologica, 76(1), 22.
    DOI WoS4
    2020 Pillai, R., Kikani, J., Walmiki, N., Parab, U., & Karangutkar, S. (2020). A record of Python molurus (Linnaeus, 1758) feeding on Ratufa indica Erxleben, 1777. Herpetology notes.

  • Datasets
    Year Citation
    - Sherratt, E., Böhmer, C., Callou, C., Nelson, T. J., Pillai, R., Ruf, I., . . . Geiger, M. (n.d.). Data for: From Wild to Domestic and The In Between? How Domestication and Feralization Changed the Morphology of Rabbits.
    DOI

Lectures and workshops

SCIENCE 1300 - Principles & Practice of Research (Advanced) I

Practical workshops

ENV BIOL 3590 - Evolutionary Biology III 

ENV BIOL 3545 - Molecular Methods in Ecology and Evolution

 

  • Community Engagement
    Date Title Engagement Type Institution Country
    2025 - 2025 ABC Radio Breakfast Show (South East NSW) Public Community Engagement Australian Broadcasting Corporation Australia
    2022 - ongoing ABC Science Podcast – What the Duck! Public Community Engagement Australian Broadcasting Corporation Australia
    2021 - ongoing World Wildlife Week Feature – James Cook University Public Community Engagement James Cook University Australia

  • Review, Assessment, Editorial and Advice
    Date Title Type Institution Country
    2024 - ongoing Associate Editor Journal Review Herpetology Notes -
Connect With Me
External Profiles