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Mr. Wilbert Newton Chitaukali

SENIOR LECTURER
Biological Sciences and Biomedical Health Sciences

Research Areas

My research interests include looking at the interaction between flora and fauna with the environment, the contribution of these organisms in the well being of the ecosystems. The need to fully understand the role such organisms such as rodents, bats in maintaining the ecosystem health and services and how they affect and get affected in the wake of changing habitats. ,

Profile

I am in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Malawi. My area of specialisation is in vertebrate zoology and ecology. My research interests include looking at the interaction between flora and fauna with the environment, the contribution of these organisms in the well being of the ecosystems. The need to fully understand the role such organisms such as rodents, bats in maintaining the ecosystem health and services and how they affect and get affected in the wake of changing habitats. I started my professional career in February 1992 when I joined the Museums of Malawi as a Mammalogist. In February 1998 I was promoted to the rank of a Senior Curator (Mammalogy). In February 2004 I joined the University of Malawi as a Lecturer in Biology, to teach Mammalogy and other Vertebrate Zoology courses. In the Department of Biology I am also responsible for the zoological collection and the caring of captive animals for the department. At the University I have been Head of Department for six years (2006-2010; 2019-2020 and Deputy Head of Department (2005-2006) During my career at the Museums of Malawi and at the University I have accumulated experience through field and laboratory work. that have contributed to a number of publications.

Publications

  • Journal Article
    Spiny mice of the Zambezian bioregion – phylogeny, biogeography and ecological differentiation within the Acomys spinosissimus complex. Mammalian Biology 91 (2018) 79–90 (2018)
    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1616504717303403
  • Journal Article
    Josef Bryja, Hana Konvickova, Anna Bryjova, Ondrej Mikula, Rhodes Makundi, Wilbert Chitaukali, Radim Sumbera (2018). Differentiation underground: Range-wide multilocus genetic structure of the silvery mole-rat does not support current taxonomy based on mitochondrial sequences. Mammalian Biology 93 (2018) 82-92. (2018)
    https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327268802
  • Journal Article
    Katakweba, Christopher A. Sabuni, Wilbert N. Chitaukali, Josef Bryja, (2018). Spiny mice of the Zambezian bioregion – phylogeny, biogeography and ecological differentiation within the Acomys spinosissimus complex. Mammalian Biology 91 (2018) 79–90 (2018)
  • Journal Article
    Jan Petru zelaa, Radim Sumbera, Tatiana Aghováa, Anna Bryjová, Abdul S. Katakweba, Christopher A. Sabuni, Wilbert N. Chitaukali, Josef Bryja, (2018). Spiny mice of the Zambezian bioregion – phylogeny, biogeography and ecological differentiation within the Acomys spinosissimus complex. Mammalian Biology 91 (2018) 79–90 (2018)
  • Journal Article
    Lövy M, J. Šklíba, H. Burda, W. N. Chitaukali & R. Šumbera. (2011). Ecological characteristics in habitats of two African mole-rat species with different social systems in an area of sympatry: implications for the mole-rat social evolution. Journal of Zoology. Print ISSN 0952-8369 (2011)
    doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.2011.00860.x
  • Journal Article
    Šklíba J.; R. Sumbera, W.N. Chitaukali (2010). What determines the way of deposition of excavated soil in a subterranean rodent? Acta Theriologica 55 (3):271–277, 2010 (2010)
    doi: 10.4098/j.at.0001-7051.099.2009
  • Journal Article
    Šklíba J, Šumbera R, Chitaukali W.N. & Burda H. (2009). Home Range Dynamics in a solitary Subterranean Rodent. Ethology 115 (2009) 217–226. (2009)
    doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2008.01604.x
  • Journal Article
    Šumbera R, Šklíba J, Elichová M, Chitaukali WN & Burda H (2008) Natural history and burrow system architecture of the silvery mole-rat from Brachystegia woodland. Journal of Zoology, London 274(1):77-84. (2008)
    doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.2007.00359.x
  • Journal Article
    Šumbera R, Chitaukali WN & Burda H. (2007) Biology of the silvery mole-rat (Heliophobius argenteocinereus). Why study a neglected subterranean rodent species? Pp. 221-236. In: Begall S, Burda H & Schleich C (Eds.) News from underground. Springer-Verlag. (2007)
  • Journal Article
    Šklíba J, Šumbera R, Chitaukali W.N. & Burda H (2007) Determinants of daily activity patterns in the freeliving Afrotropical solitary subterranean rodent. Journal of Mammalogy 88(4):1009-1016. (2007)
    https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article/88/4/1009/908018
  • Book Chapters
    Biology of the Silvery mole-rats (Heliophobius argenteocinereus). Why study a neglected Subterranean Rodent Species? in ‘Subterranean Rodents News from Underground’ Sebine Begal, Hynek Burda, Cristian Schleich. 2007. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Print ISBN 978-3-540-69275-1; Online ISBN 978-3-540-69276-8. Pp 221-236. Co-authors: Radim Sumbera, Wilbert Chitaukali, Hynek Burda. (2007)
    https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-540-69276-8_16
  • Journal Article
    Burda, H. Chitaukali W.N., Karyotype of the Small-eared dormouse (Graphiurus microtis) from the Nyika Plateau, Malawi (Rodentia: Gliridae). Lynx, new series. Prague: National Museum, 2006, 37(1), 45-50. ISSN 0024-7774 (print), 1804-6460 (online). (2006)
    https://publikace.nm.cz/file/c08438c837b306ed39d39b89adf427db/15267/Burda2006lynx.pdf
  • Journal Article
    Burda H, Šumbera R, Chitaukali W.N., & Dryden GL (2005): Taxonomic status and remarks on ecology of the Malawian mole-rat, Coetomys whytei (Thomas, 1897) (Rodentia, Bathyergidae). Acta Theriologica 50(4): 529-536. (2005)
    DOI: 10.1007/BF03192646
  • Book Chapters
    Biological Diversity in Malawi 2005. J. Kamwendo, W.N. Chitaukali, P.M. Kaliba, M. Banda, C. Dudley, G. Meke, D. Nangoma. The Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi. ISBN 99908-31-03-3 (2005)
    https://www.worldcat.org/title/biological-diversity-in-malawi/oclc/71012261
  • Journal Article
    Šumbera R, Chitaukali W.N., Elichová M, Kubová J, Burda H (2004). Microclimatic stability in burrows of an Afrotropical solitary bathyergid rodent, the silvery mole-rat (Heliophobius argenteocinereus), Journal Zoology 263: 409- 416. (2004)
    DOI:10.1017/S095283690400545X
  • Journal Article
    Šumbera, R., Burda, H., & Chitaukali, W.N. (2003). Reproductive biology of a solitary subterranean bathyergid rodent, the Silvery molerat (Heliophobius argenteocinereus). Journal of Mammalogy 84(1): 278–287. (2003)
  • Journal Article
    Chitaukali, W.N., Burda, H. Kock, D. (2001). On Small mammals of the Nyika Plateau, Malawi. African Small Mammals. Pp 415-426. (2001)
  • Journal Article
    Denys, C., Chitaukali, W.N. Mfune, J.K., Combrexelle, M., Cacciani, F. Diversity of small mammals in owl pellet assemblage of Karonga district, northern Malawi. Acta Zool. Cracov. 42(3): 393-396, Krakow, 17 Dec., 1999. (1999)
  • Book Chapters
    Chitaukali, W.N., (1999): Small Mammals of the Nyika. Survey lll (1999). In M.J. Overton (ed): Biosearch Nyika, Wildlife Research Expeditions. Pp132-137. (Internal report). (1999)
  • Conference Papers
    Zima, J., M. Macholan, H. Burda, A. Schaff, W.N. Chitaukali, M. Kawalika (1998): Speciation “hot-spots” in Central-East Africa: Stability and/or variability of karyotypes in Bathyergids (genus Cryptomys). Presented at the Euro-American Mammalogical Congress in Santiago. (1998)
  • Book Chapters
    Chitaukali W.N., (1998): Small Mammal Survey. In M.J. Overton, Nagle, C. (ed): Biosearch Nyika – Katumbu Challenge 1998. pp 33-38. (Internal report). (1998)