doc. RNDr. Petr Benda, Ph.D.

Area of expertise: diversity (biogeography, systematics, fylogenetics) of mammals, primarily of bats.

Research topics: On a long-term basis and systematically I am studying the bat fauna of the Old World, additionally their parasites, and also other mammal faunas. I investigate mainly the distribution and systematical relations of bats of the Balkans, Middle East, and Africa, from where I described several new species and published faunal reviews. I have also contributed to several edited volumes including Atlas of European Mammals (1999, 2025), Handbuch der Säugetiere Europas (2004), Mammals of Africa (2013), Handbook of the Mammals of the World. 9. Bats (2019), Handbook of the Mammals of Europe. Chiroptera (2023). I am an editor of the journal Lynx, n.s., published by the National Museum in Prague.

Teaching: I teach course on Mammaliology, I participate in the courses on Vertebrate Zoology and Chiropterology, and practical courses on Morphology and Vertebrate Zoology. I am a co-author of a textbook Basic Chiropterology (in Slovak, 2023).