Dr. Laxman Khanal

Recent Publications

• Acharya, B. K., Khanal, L., & Dhimal, M. (2025). Increased thermal suitability elevates the risk of dengue transmission across the mid hills of Nepal. PLoS One, 20(4), e0322031. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0322031
• Thapa, A., Baral, S., K.C., R. B., Paudel, R. P., Thapa, G. J., Basnet, H., G.C., R., Khanal, K., Dhakal, M., Jnawali, S. R., Thapa, K., & Khanal, L.* (2025). Differential vulnerability of key threatened mammals to climate and land cover changes in the Central Himalayas. Ecosphere, 16(4), e70242. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70242
• Rajak, B. R., Khanal, L.,* Subba, A., Nepali, A., Gupta, S. K., Baral, H. S., & Kyes, R.C. (2025). Seasonal variation in habitat preference of the Himalayan monal (Lophophorus impejanus) in Langtang National Park, Nepal: Implications for conservation. Zoological Research: Diversity and Conservation, 2(1), 30-39. https://doi.org/10.24272/j.issn.2097-3772.2024.024
• Singh, A. K., & Khanal, L.* (2025). Annotated checklist of the earthworms (Annelida: Clitellata: Megadrili) of Nepal. Zootaxa, 5589(1), 91-111. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5589.1.9
• Wang, S.-Y., Li, Y.-X., Li, Q., Song, W.-Y., Wang, H.-J., He, S.-W., Onditi, K.O., Khanal, L., Xueyou, L., Chen, Z.Z. & Jiang, X.-L. (2024). A new species of mountain vole (Rodentia, Cricetidae, Neodon) from south Xizang, China. Zoological Research: Diversity and Conservation, 1(4):282-289. https://doi.org/10.24272/j.issn.2097-3772.2024.011
• Subba, A., Tamang, G., Lama, S., Limbu, J. H., Basnet, N., Kyes, R. C., & Khanal, L.* (2024). Habitat Occupancy of the Critically Endangered Chinese Pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) Under Human Disturbance in an Urban Environment: Implications for Conservation. Ecology and Evolution, 14(12):e70726. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70726
• Mweu, A. W., Onditi, K. O., Khanal, L., Musila, S., Kioko, E., & Jiang, X. (2024). Comparative Phylogeography of Two Specialist Rodents in Forest Fragments in Kenya. Life, 14(11):1469. https://doi.org/10.3390/life14111469
• Khanal, L.*; Li, X.; Subba, A.; Ulak, S.; Kyes, R.C.; Jiang, X.-L. (2024). Phylogeography of the Sinica Group of Macaques in the Himalayas: Taxonomic and Evolutionary Implications. Biology, 13:795. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology13100795
• Ali, A., Khanal, L., López-Bao, J. V., & Kyes, R. C. (2024). Photographic evidence of the Kashmir grey langur Semnopithecus ajax in Pakistan warrants detailed taxonomic assessment of langurs across the Himalayas. Asian Primates Journal, 11(1):2-10.
• Limbu, J. H., Rajbanshi, D., Khanal, L., Hui, W., Adhikari, R. C., Thapa, S., . . . Li, C. (2024). DNA barcoding of catfishes (Order: Siluriformes) with new records of two species from eastern Nepal. Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 2024(1):907672. https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/4907672
• Hyongaju, S., Subba, A., Maharjan, M., Khanal, L.* (2024). Roost characteristics of Indian flying fox along urban noise gradient: A case study in Sallaghari Forest, Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Ecocycles, 10(1):105–114. https://doi.org/10.19040/ecocycles.v10i1.439
• Limbu, A., Thapa, A., Khanal, L.*, Gurung, S., Cruz, N. J., & Thapa, T. B. (2024). Habitat characteristics of the endangered Himalayan red panda in Panchthar–Ilam–Taplejung Corridor, Eastern Nepal. Ecologies, 5(3):342-353. https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies5030021
• Khanal, L.*, Subba, A., Chand, B., Singh, G. B., Thapa, B., & Chalise, M. K. (2024). Distribution records of Assamese macaques (Macaca assamensis pelops) from the Bheri River Basin in western Nepal. Nepalese Journal of Zoology, 8(1):86-91. https://doi.org/10.3126/njz.v8i1.67114
• Limbu, J. H., Rajbanshi, D., Khanal, L.*, & Adhikari, R. C. (2024). First record of Garra kempi Hora, 1921 (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) from Lohandra River of Nepal. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 16(6):25440–25445. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.2024.16.6.25283-25494
• Limbu, J., Rajbanshi, D., Subba, A., Khanal, L., Yang, J.-Q., & Li, C. (2024). First record of the non-native vermiculated sailfin catfish Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus (Weber, 1991) from Lohandra River, Eastern Nepal. BioInvasions Records, 13(2):557-564. https://doi.org/10.3391/bir.2024.13.2.20
• Ogawa, H., Khatiwada, S., Paudel, P. K., Koirala, S., Khanal, L., & Chalise, M. K. (2024). Distribution and group composition of Assamese and rhesus macaques in northwestern Kathmandu, Nepal. Mammal Study, 49(3):1-9, 9. https://doi.org/10.3106/ms2023-0061
• Subba, A., Limbu, J. H., & Khanal, L.* (2024). New distribution record and habitat characteristics of stinging catfish (Heteropneustes nani Hossain, Sarker, Sharifuzzaman and Chowdhury, 2013) from Nepal. Punjab University Journal of Zoology, 39(1):15-20. https://doi.org/10.17582/journal.pujz/2024/39.1.15.20
• Shrestha, S., Sharma, S., Kyes, R. C., & Khanal, L.* (2024). Comparative analysis of mother–infant interactions between free-ranging and captive rhesus macaques in Kathmandu, Nepal. Journal of Animal Behaviour and Biometeorology 12:e2024011. https://doi.org/10.31893/jabb.2024011
• Pei, X., Chen, Z., Li, Q., Li, X., Pu, C., Luo, K., Luo, J., Pu, M., Wang, H, Khanal, L., & Jiang, X. (2024). A new species of the genus Soriculus (Soricidae, Eulipotyphla, Mammalia) from Medog in the eastern Himalaya. ZooKeys 1195:139-155. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1195.115699
• Thapa, B., Khanal, L.*, Pant, R.R., Bhatta, C.R., Subedi, P., Upadhyaya, L.P., . . . Kyes, R.C. (2024). Hydrochemistry and irrigation quality of high-altitude lakes: A case study of the Ramaroshan Lake Complex, Nepal Himalayas. Limnological Reviews 24(1): 30-52. https://www.mdpi.com/2300-7575/24/1/3
• Subba, A. and Khanal, L. (2024). Threats to the Critically Endangered yellow-headed tortoise Indotestudo elongata in Jalthal Forest, eastern lowland Nepal. Oryx 58(1): 129-132. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0030605323001308.
• Tandan, S., Kshetri, S., Paudel, S., Dhakal, P., Kyes, R. C., & Khanal, L.* (2023). Prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth parasites in rhesus macaques and local residents in the central mid-hills of Nepal. Helminthologia 60(4): 327-335. https://doi.org/10.2478/helm-2023-0037
• Ren, X., Xu, Y., Li, Y., Yao, H., Fang, Y., Khanal, L., Cheng, L., Zeng, W., Jiang, X. and Chen, Z. (2023). A new species of shrew moles, genus Uropsilus Milne-Edwards, 1871 (Mammalia, Eulipotyphla, Talpidae), from the Wuyi Mountains, Jiangxi Province, eastern China. ZooKeys 1186:25-46. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1186.111592
• Adhikari, A., Koju, N.P., Maharjan, B., Khanal, L., Upreti, M. and Kyes, R.C. (2023). Gastro-intestinal parasites of urban rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 22:175-183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijppaw.2023.10.007.
• Koju, N.P., Gosai, K.R., Bashyal, B., Byanju, R., Shrestha, A., Buzzard, P., Beisch, W.B., and Khanal, L*. (2023). Seasonal prey abundance and food plasticity of the Vulnerable snow leopard (Panthera uncia) in the Lapchi Valley, Nepal Himalayas. Animals 13(20):3182. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13203182.
• Chen, Z., Pei, X., Hu, J., Song, W., Khanal, L., Li, Q., Jiang, X.L. (2023). Multilocus phylogeny and morphological analyses illuminate overlooked diversity of Soriculus (Mammalia: Eulipotyphla: Soricidae), with descriptions of two new endemic species from the eastern Himalayas. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 2023:zlad131. https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad131.
• Khanal, L.*, Upadhyaya, L.P., Pandey, N., Chand, D.B., Karki, M., Chalise, M.K., and Kyes, R.C. (2023). Projected distribution of the westernmost subpopulation of Assamese macaques (Macaca assamensis pelops) under climate change: conservation implications of a threatened population. Frontiers in Conservation Science 4:1235595. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcosc.2023.1235595.
• Sunar, C.B., Khanal, L.*, Pant, R.R., Thapa, B. and Chand, B. (2023). Hydrochemistry of Kupinde Lake at the Lesser Himalaya in Karnali Province, Nepal. Journal of Institute of Science and Technology 28(1):57–69. https://doi.org/10.3126/jist.v28i1.49052.
• Kshetri, S., Khanal, L.*, Tandon, S. and Kyes, R.C. (2023). Seasonal variation in the activity budget and daily path length of semi-provisioned rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) in Daunne Forest, Nawalpur, Nepal. Indonesian Journal of Primatology 2(01):27–36. https://doi.org/10.29244/primatology.2.01.27-36.
• Dhakal, P., Sharma, R.K., Rajak, B.R., Pandey, N. and Khanal, L.* (2023). Population and distribution of Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus) in Lamtang National Park of the Nepal Himalaya. MARKHOR (The Journal of Zoology) 4(01):02–10. https://doi.org/10.54393/mjz.v4i01.60.
• Xu, Y., Hu, J., Shi, Z., Chen, W., Zhou, J., Zhang, B., Yong, F., Khanal, L., Jiang, X. and Chen, Z. (2023). Integrative systematics and evolutionary history of Berylmys bowersi (Mammalia, Rodentia, Muridae). Ecology and Evolution 13:e10234. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10234
• Sharma, S., Shrestha, S. and Khanal, L.* (2023). Motor stereotypic behaviors in zoo rhesus monkeys: a case study of the Central Zoo, Kathmandu, Nepal. Zoodiversity 57(3):239-250. https://doi.org/10.15407/zoo2023.03.239.
• Sharma, S., Khanal, L.*, Shrestha, S., Pandey, N., Bellanca, R. U. and Kyes, R. C. (2023). Zoo visitors as a source of enrichment to reduce abnormal behavior in captive rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) in the Central Zoo, Kathmandu, Nepal. Journal of Animal Behaviour and Biometeorology 11(1):e2023005. https://doi.org/10.31893/jabb.23005.
• Pandey, K., Dumre, S.P., Shah, Y., Acharya, B.K., Khanal, L., Pyakurel, U.R., et al. (2023). Forty years (1980–2019) of visceral leishmaniasis in Nepal: trends and elimination challenges. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. https://doi.org/10.1093/trstmh/trad001.
• Paudel, J., Khanal, L.*, Pandey, N., Upadhyaya, L.P., Sunar, C.B., Thapa, B., Bhatta, C. R.; Pant, R.R. and Kyes, R.C. (2023). Determinants of herpetofaunal diversity in a threatened wetland ecosystem: A case study of the Ramaroshan Wetland Complex, Western Nepal. Animals 13(1):135. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13010135.
• Pandey, P., Pandey, N. and Khanal, L.* (2022). Habitat use and diurnal activity budget of blue bulls (Boselaphus tragocamelus) in the Lumbini Heritage Site, Nepal. Nepalese Journal of Zoology 6(2):25-34. https://doi.org/10.3126/njz.v6i2.51880.
• Sunar, C.B., Pandey, N., Chand, B., Upadhyaya, L.P., Thapa, B., Pant, R.R. and Khanal, L.* (2022). Effect of water physicochemistry on amphibian abundance in Sub-tropical Kupinde Lake of the Nepal Himalaya. International Journal of Bonorowo Wetlands 12(2):89-95. https://doi.org/10.13057/bonorowo/w120205.
• Dangol, D., Khanal, L.*, Pandey, N., Ghimire, A. and Kyes, R. C. (2022). Test of ecogeographical rules on sparrows (Passer spp.) along the elevation gradient of the Himalaya in Central Nepal. Ecologies 3(4):480-491. https://doi.org/10.3390/ecologies3040034.
• Monecke, S., Roberts, M.C., Braun, S.D., Diezel, C., Müller, E., Reinicke, M., Linde, J., Joshi, P.R., Paudel, S., Acharya, M., Chalise, M.K., Feßler, A.T., Hotzel, H., Khanal, L., Koju, N.P., Schwarz, S., Kyes, R.C. and Ehricht, R. (2022). Sequence analysis of novel Staphylococcus aureus Lineages from wild and captive macaques. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 23(19):11225. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231911225
• Sharma, S., Shrestha, S., Pandey, N. and Khanal, L.* (2022). Determinants of grooming behavior in captive langurs under human disturbance: A case study from the Central Zoo, Kathmandu, Nepal. Punjab University Journal of Zoology. https://doi.org/10.17582/journal.pujz/2022.37.2.98.105
• Upadhyaya, L. P., Pandey, N. and Khanal, L.* (2022). Tribhuvan University area serves as a greenspace for birds in the Kathmandu Valley, Central Nepal. Journal of Animal Diversity 4(1):27-40. https://doi.org/10.52547/JAD.2022.4.1.4
• Acharya, B. K., Adhikari, S. K., Pandit, S., Neupane, B. K., Paudel, B. K. and Khanal, L.* (2022). An initial spatiotemporal assessment of COVID-19 clusters in Nepal. Journal of Institute of Science and Technology 27(1):37-49. https://doi.org/10.3126/jist.v27i1.42652
• Aryal, B. and Khanal, L.* (2022). Hatching success and chick mortality of the ostrich (Struthio camelus) in a commercial farm in Nepal. Sri Lankan Journal of Biology 7(2):1-7. https://doi.org/10.4038/sljb.v7i2.84 
• Shrestha, S., Khanal, L.*, Pandey, N. and Kyes, R. C. (2022). Conservation of heritage sites in Kathmandu, Nepal: Assessing the corrosion threat from pigeon excreta on metal monuments. Conservation 2(2):233-243. https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation2020015
• Khanal, L., Chalise, M.K., Jiang, X.-L. and Kyes, R.C. (2022). Mitochondrial genetic diversity and structure of the langur population in a complex landscape of the Nepal Himalaya. Diversity 14:69. https://doi.org/10.3390/d14020069
• Aryal, B., Pandey, N. and Khanal, L.* (2021). Urbanization favors some over others: Bird diversity pattern in the suburban-urban gradient of Butwal City, central lowland of Nepal. Punjab University Journal of Zoology 36:175-184. https://doi.org/10.17582/journal.pujz/2021.36.2.175.184
• Bhattarai, B., Shrestha, S. and Khanal, L.* (2021). Street dogs opt for proteins over carbs: An experimental inference from streets of Kathmandu. Dog Behavior 7:1-12. https://doi.org/10.4454/db.v7i2.136
• Ghimire, S.C., Khanal, L.* and Chalise, M.K. (2021). Feeding ecology of Assamese macaques (Macaca assamensis) troops in Kaligandaki and Budhigandaki River basins of central Nepal. Biodiversitas 22:2625–2634. https://doi.org/10.13057/biodiv/d220710
• Khanal, L., Chalise, M.K., Fan, P.F., Kyes, R.C. and Jiang, X.L. (2021). Multilocus phylogeny suggests a distinct species status for the Nepal population of Assam macaques (Macaca assamensis): implications for evolution and conservation. Zoological Research 42:3-13. https://doi.org/10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2020.279
• Pandey, N., Khanal, L.*, Chapagain, N., Singh, K.D., Bhattarai, B.P. and Chalise, M.K. (2021). Bird community structure as a function of habitat heterogeneity: A case of Mardi Himal, Central Nepal. Biodiversitas, 22, 262–271. https://doi.org/10.13057/biodiv/d220132
• Roberts, M. C., Joshi, P. R., Monecke, S., Ehricht, R., Müller, E., Gawlik, D., Diezel, C., Braun, S. D., Paudel, S., Acharya, M., Khanal, L., Koju, N. P., Chalise, M. K. and Kyes, R. C. (2020). Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin Resistant S. aureus in Nepalese Primates: Resistance to Antimicrobials, Virulence, and Genetic Lineages. Antibiotics 9:689. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics9100689
• Pandey, N., Khanal, L.* and Chalise, M. K. (2020). Correlates of avifaunal diversity along the elevational gradient of Mardi Himal in Annapurna Conservation Area, Central Nepal. Avian Research 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40657-020-00217-6
• Neupane, J., Khanal, L.*, Gyawali, B. and Chalise, M. K. (2020). Elevational pattern and seasonality of avian diversity in Kaligandaki River Basin, central Himalaya. Journal of Threatened Taxa 12(14):16927–16943. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.5815.12.14.16927-16943
• Neupane, J., Khanal, L.* and Chalise, M. K. 2020. Avian diversity in Kaligandaki River basin, Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal. International Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences 46(2):99–110. https://nieindia.org/Journal/index.php/ijees/article/view/2123
• Khanal, L., Paudel, B. K. and Acharya, B. K. (2020). Community vulnerability to epidemics in Nepal: A high-resolution spatial assessment amidst COVID-19 pandemic. Nepalese Journal of Zoology 4(1):23–35. https://doi.org/10.3126/njz.v4i1.30670
• Chen, Z., Li, X., Song, W., Li, Q., Onditi, K., Khanal, L. and Jiang, X. L. (2020). Small mammal species richness and turnover along elevational gradient in Yulong Mountain, Yunnan, Southwest China. Ecology and Evolution 10:2545–2558. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.6083
• Khanal, L., Chalise M. K. and Jiang X. L. (2019). Distribution of the threatened Assamese Macaque Macaca assamensis (Mammalia: Primates: Cercopithecidae) population in Nepal. Journal of Threatened Taxa 11(1):13047–13057. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.4623.11.1.13047-13057
• KC, R. and Khanal, L.* (2019). High mortality and altered diurnal activity pattern of captive Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) in Mrigasthali enclosure, Pashupatinath Area, Kathmandu. Journal of Institute of Science and Technology 24(2): 49–57. https://doi.org/10.3126/jist.v24i2.27257