Biography

Dr. Lim Kean Chong is a marine biologist dedicated to the study and conservation of elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) in Malaysian waters. He earned his PhD from Universiti Malaya, where he integrated molecular tools with ecology to address critical questions in Malaysian elasmobranch. His research is focused on ecology, biodiversity, and population genetics, with a core mission to resolve taxonomic uncertainties, map species distributions, and generate the robust scientific data needed for effective conservation strategies. Dr. Lim’s early research provided significant insights into the ecology of small coastal demersal sharks, including resource partitioning strategies among sympatric species and population subdivision patterns. He is a passionate advocate for advancing elasmobranch research in Southeast Asia. He strongly believes in and practices collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches to build regional scientific capacity and address complex conservation challenges.

Research Interest

• Fish Taxonomy
• Molecular Taxonomy & Phylogenetics
• Population Genetics
• Ecology & Biodiversity
• Science-Based Management

Educational Background

• PhD in Biology and Biochemistry – Universiti Malaya, 2024
• MSc in Ecology and Biodiversity – Universiti Malaya, 2016
• BSc in Marine Science – University Malaysia Sabah, 2011

Working Experience

• Lecturer – China-ASEAN Marine Science School, Xiamen University Malaysia (2025 - Present)

Research Experience

• Researcher for Development of environmental DNA reference database for coastal resource management of Southeast Asian mangroves funded by Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research - (CRRP202 L-01 MY-Wee)
• Researcher for Clarifying Genetic Structure and Biology of Endangered Hammerhead Shark and Wedgefish in Peninsula Malaysia Funded by WWF - (WWF-CP000001000GENF)
• Researcher for Freshwater stingray where are you? Tracking freshwater stingray through environmental DNA from major rivers in Peninsular Malaysia funded by Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) – (PV025-2018)
• Researcher for Evaluation Of The Fishery Status Of Malaysian Elasmobranchs funded by Universiti Malaya Research Project (UMRP) - (RP018C-16SUS)
• Researcher for Elucidation of Genetic Stock Structure, Life History and Fishery Status of Rays (Order: Rajiformes) in Selangor funded by Bantuan Kecil Penyelidikan (BKP) – (BK018-2015)
• Researcher for Taxonomical and Ecological Study of the Malaysian Stingrays (Order: Myliobatiformes), with Emphasis on the (Family: Dasyatidae) in Near Shore Waters of Selangor funded by Postgraduate Research Fund (PPP) – (PG103-2012B)
• Researcher for Elucidating the environmental-aquaculture interactions in cockle culture tidal flats, Selangor & Perak, Malaysia funded by Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) – (57-02-03-1005)

Representative Publications

• Then, A. Y.-H., Lim, K. C., Leung, A. J.-X., Puebla, O., Helmkampf, M., & Adam, S. (2025). Unwedging the Secrets: Species and Genetic Diversity of Wedgefishes (Rhinidae) in Malaysian Waters. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 35: e70095.
• Lim, K.C., Then, A.Y.-H.*, & Loh, K.-H.* (2023). Feeding ecology and reproductive biology of small coastal sharks in Malaysian waters. PeerJ, 11, e15849.
• Loh, K.-H., Lim, K.-C., Then, A. Y.-H., Adam, S., Leung, A. J.-X., Hu, W., … Du, J.* (2023). Advancing DNA barcoding to elucidate elasmobranch biodiversity in Malaysian waters. Animals, 13(6), 1002.
• Then, A.Y.-H.*, Lim, K.C.*, & Loh, K.-H. (2022). Updated distribution of the endangered freshwater stingray Urogymnus polylepis in Malaysia, with notes on biology and genetics. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, 70: 534-549.
• Lim, K. C., White, W. T., Then, A. Y. H.*, Naylor, G. J. P., Arunrugstichai, S., & Loh, K.-H.* (2022). Integrated taxonomy revealed genetic differences in morphologically similar and non-sympatric Scoliodon macrorhynchos and S. laticaudus. Animals, 12, 681.
• Lim, K.C.* & Then, A.Y. (2022). Environmental DNA approach complements social media reports to detect an endangered freshwater stingray species in the wild. Endangered Species Research, 48, 43-50.
• Lim, K. C., Then, A. Y.-H.*, Wee, A. K. S., Sade, A., Rumpet, R., & Loh, K.-H.* (2021). Brown banded bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium punctatum) shows high genetic diversity and differentiation in Malaysian waters. Scientific Reports, 11, 14874.
• Lim, K. C., Chong, V. C.*, Lim, P. E., Yurimoto, T. & Loh, K. H. (2019). Feeding ecology of three sympatric species of stingrays on a tropical mudflat. Journal of the Marine Biological association of the United Kingdom, 1-9.
• Lim, K. C., Lim, P-E., Chong, V. C.* & Loh, K-H. (2015). Molecular and Morphological analyses Reveal Phylogenetic Relationships of Stingrays Focusing on the Family Dasyatidae (Myliobatiformes). PLoS ONE, 10(4), e0120518.
• Lim, K. C.*, Chong, V. C., Lim, P. E. & Yurimoto, T. (2014). Length-weight relationship of stingrays in Kuala Selangor, Malaysia. Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 30, 1096-1098.

Honors / Awards

• The Young Environmental Research Grant (2018)

Prospective PhD/ EdD/ MPhil Applications

• Verifying Marine Fish Diversity in Malaysia: A Systematic Review Integrating Traditional Morphology and DNA Barcoding.
• Seascape Genetics of the Malacca Strait: Elucidating the Role of Depth Gradients in Structuring Marine Fish Populations.