Member Profile
Membership type: full
Nonhlanhla Vilakazi
Country of origin: South Africa Currently in: South Africa, Johannesburg General field of specialization: Biological Systems and Organisms-
Degrees
2014 Doctorate Other2008 Master Astronomy, Space and Earth Sciences2006 Undergraduate Other -
Current Research Activities
Publications resulting from Research:
Gommery, D., Senegas, F., Kgasi, L., Vilakazi, N., Kuhn, B., Brink, J., Pickford, M., Herries, A.I.R., Hancox, J., Saos, T., Segalen, L., Aufort, J. & Thackery, J.F. 2016. Bolt’s Farm Cave System in the Cradle of Humankind (South Africa): an example of multidisciplinary approach to the study of fossil primate sites. Revue de Primatologie 7: 1-30
Vilakazi, N., Gommery, D. & Kgasi, L. 2018. First fossil record of the spitting Elapidae in the Cradle of Humankind (South Africa). South African Archaeological Bulletin 73 (207): 35-40
Gommery, D., Kgasi, L., Sénégas, F., Vilakazi, N., Hancox J. and Brink. J. 2019. Waypoint 160: First in situ primate remain. Annals of the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History 8: 1-5
Vilakazi, N. 2019. “Humble” knowledge in the Palaeosciences: Isn’t it time to Decolonise? South African Archaeological Bulletin 74 (211): 138-140
Pickford, M., Gommery, D., Kgasi, L., Vilakazi, N., Senut, B. & Mocke, H. 2019. Southern African Tetraconodontinae: Recent discoveries. Communications of the Geological Survey of Namibia 21: 59-81
Vilakazi, N., Gommery, D. & Kgasi, L. 2020. First Agaminae discovered at Brad Pit A, Bolt’s Farm Cave System (South Africa). Annals of the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History 9: 48-53
Kgasi, L., Vilakazi, N. & Sénégas, F. 2021. The effectiveness of fossil acid preparation at Ditsong National Museum of Natural History. South African Museum Association Bulletin. In press.
Current profession
Current professional activities type:ResearchTeachingI teach Human Evolution and Palaeontology at the University of Johannesburg. I have also recently started supervising postgraduate students. I currently have three postgrad students (Hons, Master's and PhD). I also conduct research at one of the Cradle of Humankind sites called Bolt's Farm. I look and describe fossil reptiles around the area and how palaeo-environment can be reconstructed using these microfossils. We know that extant reptiles are indicator species and assist in understanding changes in the environment. Studying these fossils will assist in us understanding the environment our ancestors found themselves in and how it affected their lifestyle and perhaps how those changes influenced some of the evolutionary trends we have been seeing.
Affiliations
Ditsong National Museum of Natural HistoryPalaeontological Society of Southern AfricaSAHRA