Contributors

Dr. Meenakshi, V.K. obtained her post-graduate degree in Zoology with specialization in Entomology fom the Calicut University, Kozhikode, Kerala State, India in 1997. She joined the Department of Zoology, A.P.C. Mahalaxmi College for Women, Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, India in 1981 and is at present Associate Professor. She did her M. Phil degree at the Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India in 1988. She registered for her Ph. D under the able supervision of Dr. T.K. Renganathan, Professor, Department of Zoology, V.O.Chidambaram College, Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, India in 1993 on ascidians and was awarded her Ph.D on the title “Biology of chosen ascidians” from the Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India in 1997. She specialised in the taxonomy of Indian ascidians and has reported 2 families, 17 genera and 303 species as new records to Indian waters of which 170 are new to science. One species has been named as Distaplia nathensis to honour her guide who introduced her to this interesting field. She has completed One Major project and two minor projects sponsored by the University Grants Commission, New Delhi and the Ministry of Environment and Forests, New Delhi. During the course of the studies, she visited 520 stations from Mumbai in the West to Visakapatnam in the East. She has published 52 papers on ascidian taxonomy and pharmacology attended many International, National, State seminars, Refresher courses and presented papers. She has 9 Ph.D scholars, out of which one has been awarded degree and three have submitted their thesis for evaluation. Though she will be retiring from academic career on 31 May, 2013 she will be continuing her research on ascidians actively.