Dr. Rachunliu Gaiduwani Kamei, commonly known as Chun Kamei, is a globally recognized field biologist, taxonomist, and herpetologist whose work has fundamentally transformed our understanding of the amphibian and reptilian biodiversity of Northeast India. As a Naga scientist belonging to the Rongmei tribal community, her contributions to the field of herpetology—particularly her groundbreaking discoveries related to the elusive caecilians—have brought international attention to the rich, undocumented biodiversity of the Indian subcontinent. Her journey from the hills of Nagaland to premier global institutions such as the Natural History Museum in London and the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago is a remarkable story of passion, perseverance, and scientific excellence.
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| Dr. Rachunliu G. Kamei. Source: ResearchGate |
Early Life and Educational Journey
Dr. Kamei is the fourth of six daughters born to the late Mr. G.G. Kamei and Rev. Dr. A.G. Kamei.[1] Raised in Nagaland, her early life was steeped in the natural beauty of the Northeast, a region globally recognized as a biodiversity hotspot. This environment profoundly influenced her academic trajectory and nurtured her inherent curiosity about the natural world.
Her formal education began with a focus on plant sciences. She earned her Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Botany from Miranda House College, University of Delhi.[2] Following this, she completed her Master of Science (MSc) in Botany at the Department of Botany, University of Delhi.[2] Despite her early focus on botany, her scientific interests began to shift toward zoology and wildlife conservation.
This shift crystallized during her doctoral studies. She pursued a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences at the Systematics Lab, Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi.[1][2] Her doctoral research was highly specialized, focusing on the diversity, reproductive ecology, and conservation of caecilians in Northeast India.[1][2] Caecilians are reclusive, legless, burrowing amphibians that are notoriously difficult to study due to their subterranean lifestyle. Her decision to focus on these creatures was both practical and passionate; she recognized that her background as a Rongmei tribal from the Northeast gave her a unique advantage in conducting the extensive fieldwork required to study these poorly documented animals in their native habitats.[3]
A Dedicated Educator
Before becoming a full-time, globally recognized researcher, Dr. Kamei dedicated several years to teaching and mentoring the next generation of scientists. From 2005 to 2009, she served as an Assistant Professor at the prestigious St. Stephen's College, University of Delhi, where she taught Biology and Environmental Science.[1][4] During her tenure at St. Stephen's, she was known for her commitment to inclusive education, notably teaching the 'History of Science' to visually challenged students.[4] However, her overwhelming passion for exploring and conserving biodiversity eventually led her to resign from her teaching position to fully dedicate her life to field research.[1]
Groundbreaking Discoveries in Herpetology
Dr. Kamei's primary research interests encompass the taxonomy, systematics, biogeography, and natural history of amphibians, reptiles, and swamp eels.[5] Globally, she is recognized as the only full-time, woman field biologist to have undertaken and led major soil-digging surveys for caecilians.[1] Her fieldwork in the Northeast, characterized by long hours of digging in the wettest places on earth, has yielded extraordinary scientific discoveries.
Her most celebrated contribution to science is her role in the discovery of a completely new family of amphibians from Northeast India, named Chikilidae.[2][6] This discovery, published in the prestigious Proceedings of the Royal Society B in 2012, made ripples across the international scientific community.[1][2] The discovery of Chikilidae was monumental not just because it added a new family to the amphibian tree of life, but because genetic analysis revealed that these caecilians had ancient evolutionary links to Africa, providing crucial insights into the biogeographic history of the Indian subcontinent and the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana.[1][2] The discovery of Chikila fulleri, the first described species in this new family, involved an astonishing 1,177 person-hours of dedicated soil-digging surveys.[6]
Beyond caecilians, Dr. Kamei's extensive fieldwork has led to numerous other significant taxonomic discoveries. She was instrumental in the discovery of a new species of hypogean swamp eel in Meghalaya, named Monopterus rongsaw ('rongsaw' meaning 'red' in Khasi), which she found while digging near the famous Double Decker Living Root Bridge.[3][4] She has also co-authored the descriptions of several new frog species, including tree hole-breeding frogs with oophagous tadpoles belonging to the new rhacophorid genus Frankixalus, and torrent frogs of the genus Amolops.[2][4]
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| The hypogean swamp eel, Monopterus rongsaw. Source: Scroll.in |
International Affiliations and Global Impact
Dr. Kamei's rigorous research methodologies and significant discoveries have earned her affiliations with some of the world's most prestigious natural history institutions.
Following her Ph.D., she was awarded the highly competitive and prestigious Marie Curie Fellowship by the European Commission.[1][4] This fellowship allowed her to pursue post-doctoral research hosted by the Natural History Museum in London, United Kingdom, working within the Department of Life Sciences.[1][4] Her time at the Natural History Museum further honed her expertise in molecular phylogenetics, taxonomy, and evolutionary biology.
Currently, Dr. Kamei serves as the Collections Manager for Herpetology at the Gantz Family Collections Center within the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, United States.[4][5] In this vital role, she manages the Amphibians & Reptiles Department collections. Her focus extends beyond personal research to improving access to these invaluable collections.[5] She emphasizes implementing best practices to facilitate the use of the collections by the global research community while meticulously maintaining their integrity and ensuring their long-term sustainability.[5]
Furthermore, she is an Associate at Re:wild (rewild.org), an organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the wild.[2] Through this association, she continues to advocate for the conservation of India's unique and threatened amphibian species.
Field Challenges and Conservation Advocacy
Dr. Kamei's success has not come without significant physical and logistical challenges. Her specialization requires extensive, physically demanding fieldwork in the dense, rain-soaked forests of Northeast India. Long hours of digging with heavy spades have caused physical strain, including chronic back problems, and traversing wet terrains has made ailments like athlete's foot common.[3]
Furthermore, operating in a region historically affected by civil strife has presented unique logistical hurdles. For instance, curfews and civil unrest previously prevented her from conducting educational talks at schools in Imphal, Manipur, and Tura, Meghalaya, for two successive years.[3] Despite these obstacles, her dedication to uncovering the hidden biodiversity of the region remains unwavering.
A core component of her work is conservation advocacy. She recognizes that effective conservation is impossible without foundational knowledge of what exists in an ecosystem. By documenting the cryptic, often overlooked species like caecilians and swamp eels, she provides the essential data required to formulate informed conservation strategies. While her primary interest remains the poorly documented amphibian fauna of Northeast India, she aims to diversify her research into reptiles and expand her geographical focus to adjoining regions in South and Southeast Asia.[2]
Selected Scientific Contributions and Publications
Dr. Kamei's research output is prolific, with over 50 publications in esteemed international scientific journals.[4] Her work covers a broad spectrum of topics, from species descriptions to complex molecular phylogenetics and biogeography. Some of her notable publications include:
Discovery of the Chikilidae Family: Co-authored the landmark 2012 paper in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, "Discovery of a new family of amphibians from northeast India with ancient links to Africa."[2]
Systematics of Chikilidae: Published extensive systematic reviews and described new species within the Chikilidae family in Zootaxa (2013).[2]
Caecilian Evolution: Contributed to research on convergent evolution, such as the study on "Resistance Is Not Futile: Widespread Convergent Evolution of Resistance to Alpha-Neurotoxic Snake Venoms in Caecilians" published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.[4]
New Frog Genera and Species: Co-authored papers describing the new rhacophorid genus Frankixalus and its unique reproductive strategies, as well as new species of Amolops and Megophrys.[2][4]
Western Ghats Conservation: Contributed to the assessment of amphibian diversity and conservation status in the Western Ghats for the IUCN.[2]
Conclusion
Dr. Rachunliu G. Kamei stands as a towering figure in modern Indian herpetology. Her transition from a passionate student of botany in Delhi to a globally respected field biologist managing collections at the Field Museum in Chicago is a testament to her profound dedication to science. By shedding light on the hidden, subterranean world of caecilians and other reclusive amphibians, she has not only expanded the global catalog of life but also highlighted the critical importance of preserving the unique ecosystems of Northeast India. Her continued research and advocacy ensure that the rich, often unseen biodiversity of the region is recognized, understood, and ultimately protected for future generations.
Footnotes
[1] Mathew Gongmei, "NAGA SCIENTIST: Rachunliu (Chun) G. Kamei !," Facebook post, May 03, 2021,
[2] Re:wild, "Rachunliu (Chun) G. Kamei, Ph.D.," accessed October 5, 2026,
[3] Aathira Perinchery, "They are wriggly, slimy and legless. And Rachunliu Kamei conserves them," The Hindu, December 22, 2018,
[4] ResearchGate, "Rachunliu G. KAMEI | PhD | Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago," accessed October 5, 2026,
[5] Field Museum, "Chun Kamei," accessed October 5, 2026,
[6] AmphibiaWeb, "Chikilidae," accessed October 5, 2026,
Bibliography
AmphibiaWeb. "Chikilidae." Accessed October 5, 2026.
Field Museum. "Chun Kamei." Accessed October 5, 2026.
Gongmei, Mathew. "NAGA SCIENTIST: Rachunliu (Chun) G. Kamei !" Facebook post, May 03, 2021.
Perinchery, Aathira. "They are wriggly, slimy and legless. And Rachunliu Kamei conserves them." The Hindu, December 22, 2018.
ResearchGate. "Rachunliu G. KAMEI | PhD | Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago." Accessed October 5, 2026.
Re:wild. "Rachunliu (Chun) G. Kamei, Ph.D." Accessed October 5, 2026.