Bio 320: Comparative Anatomy and Evolution of Vertebrates Syllabus

wk

date

Mon and Wed lecture topics

Tues and Thurs labs and readings in Fishbeck and Sebastiani

 

 

 

 

1

Jan. 7

Introduction

No lab

 

Jan. 9

Evolutionary Morphology

Cane toad video

2

Jan. 14

What is a vertebrate animal and Vertebrate Origins

Chapter 2: Tunicates

 

Jan. 16

Vertebrate Phylogeny

Chapter 3: Amphioxus, Chapter 4: ammocoete

3

Jan. 21

Martin Luther King Day

Chapter 4: Lampreys: Adult external and internal anatomy

 

Jan. 23

Vertebrate phylogeny continued

Vertebrate skin

4

Jan. 28

Vertebrate development and life history

Chapters 5, 14: Overview of fish diversity, Coelocanth Video

 

Jan. 30

Vertebrate body functions and the effect of size on shape

Chapter 6: Dogfish skeleton

5

Feb. 4

Vertebrate skeleton

Chapter 15: Mudpuppy skeleton

 

Feb. 6

Vertebrate muscles

Chapter 24: Cat skeleton

 6

Feb. 11

The water-to-land transition - support and locomotion in water

Assessment day

 

Feb. 13

Review

Review

7

Feb. 18

Lecture exam I

Lab exam 1

 

Feb. 20

The water-to-land transition - support and locomotion on land

Chapter 7: Dogfish muscles

8

Feb. 25

The water-to-land transition - evolution of respiration

Chapter 16: Mudpuppy muscles

 

Feb. 27

The water-to-land transition - evolution of the skull and feeding

Chapter 25: Cat muscles

9

Mar. 3

Spring break

Spring break

 

Mar. 5

Spring break

Spring break

10

Mar. 10

Evolution of the skull and feeding in tetrapods (topic selection due)

Chapter 25: Cat muscles continued

 

Mar. 12

Evolution of tetrapod locomotion and respiration

Review

11

Mar. 17

Catch-up

Lab exam 2

 

Mar. 19

Review

Chapters 9, 18: Dogfish and mudpuppy digestive and respiratory systems

12

Mar. 24

Lecture exam II

Chapter 27: Cat digestive and respiratory systems

 

Mar 26

Morphology and physiology of bird flight

Field trip to Museum of Natural History and Metro Zoo

Chapters 10, 19: Dogfish and mudpuppy urogenital systems

13

Mar. 31

Evolution of digestion (topic outline due)

Chapter 28: Cat urogenital system

 

Apr. 2

Evolution of the urogenital system

Chapters 11, 20: Dogfish and mudpuppy circulatory systems

14

Apr. 7

Evolution of the circulatory system

Chapter 29: Cat circulatory system

 

Apr. 9

Catch-up

Review

15

Apr. 14

Morphologies for sensory perception and communication

Lab exam 3

 

Apr. 16

Review

4 presentations: students to be named

16

Apr. 21

2 presentations: students to be named

4 presentations: students to be named

 

Apr. 23

2 presentations: students to be named

2 presentations: students to be named

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final exam is

 

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