Nationality: Mozambican

Institution:  University of the Witwatersrand

Department: Evolutionary Studies Institute

PAST programme support: Conferences and workshops: PSSA

Project title: The early evolution of Gorgonopsia (Therapsida, Synapsida), new data from the middle Permian of South Africa and early late Permian of Mozambique.

Zanildo Macungo is a 3rd year PhD Candidate in Vertebrate Palaeontology at the Evolutionary Studies Institute, working on middle and late Permian gorgonopsians from South Africa and Mozambique.

He recently studied cistecephalid dicynodonts providing extensive anatomical descriptions and interpretations of the fossorial behaviour through their braincase. Zanildo has also contributed toward a comprehensive understanding of the comparative anatomy and taxonomy of the genus Endothiodon using specimens from his country of origin, Mozambique. Zanildo graduated with a Masters Äôs with distinction at the University of the Witwatersrand. He worked at the Laboratory of Palaeontology of the National Museum of Geology in Maputo, where he supervised students on fossil preparation and elaboration of their honours projects, Äôs projects, and co-organised field trips focused on fossil prospection. He was granted a PAST bursary to conduct his Masters‚ Äôs and Doctoral degrees, and conference support; and he was also granted a Postgraduate Merit Award by Wits University to support his Doctoral degree. Zanildo is an active researcher who has already 10 peer-reviewed publications including 3 as a first author.