Adaptations to terrestrial life of Artropoda and comparison with Anellida and Molusca. Adaptation to freshwater. Deuterostomata: general, phylogenetic relationship with Protostomata and radiata. Artropoda. Chelicerata. Miriapoda. Crostacea. Esapoda. Echinodermata. Cordata.
Brusca e Brusca, Invertebrati, Zanichelli (Invertebrates, Sinauer)
Learning Objectives
Knolewdge acquired:
Knowledge on the main living invertebrate, their adaptation to the environment, morphology and physiology, reproduction and life cycles, animal diversity with relation to environmental features. Acquisition of a critical knowledge on issues linked to the study of animals both in the field and laboratory. Knowledge on animal evolution and the main evolutionary theories in an historical context as well as in the actual scientific discussion. Guiding line of the course are the understanding of the adaptation of animals to the environment and evolutionary constraints.
Competence acquired:
Acquisition of a zoological language; interpretation of the evolutionary trees of Metazoa; use of specialist tools to classify animals; interpretation of quantitative data applied to zoology.
Skills acquired (at the end of the course):
Capacity of autonomous study of zoological and evolutionary issues; in depth study of specific issues treated in the course; classification of animals to the level of Order; contextualisation in the environment of the knowledge related to the different animals; development of scientific hypotheses; interpretation of experimental data to verify hypotheses.
Prerequisites
Course to be used as requirement (required): Zoology I
Teaching Methods
Total hours of the course (including the time spent in attending lectures, seminars, private study, examinations, etc...): 225 (= 9 x 25)
Hours reserved to private study and other individual formative activities: 129
Contact hours for: Lectures (hours): 72
Contact hours for: Laboratory field/practice (hours): 20
Seminars (hours): 4
Further information
Frequency of lectures, practice and lab:
The frequency to the lectures, lab and field work is strongly recommended.
Teaching tools
Lectures are face to face, with much time dedicated to critical discussion on previous knowledge also derived from life experience. During the lectures pictures and schemes are shown as well as videos on living animals in their environment.
In the lab animals are observed when necessary with the aid of a microscope, and dissected. Field work is an important aspect of the course.
Seminars on zoological and evolutionary aspects complement the course.
Type of Assessment
An oral exame on the subjects discussed throughout the corse. Identification of biological specimens related to the course
Course program
General:
Adaptation to terrestrial life: comparisons among Artropoda, Anellida and Mollusca. Adaptation to life in the water of Artropoda and Mollusca. Colours of the Invertebrates.
Systematics:
Deuterostomata: general; phylogenetics relationships with Protostomata and Radiata. Hints on Chetognata and Emicordata. Echinodermata: general, Crinoidea, Asteroidea, Echinoidea, Ofiurodea, Oloturoidea; phylogenetics relationships among classes. Chordata, general. Tunicata. Cefalocordata and hints on Conodonta.
Artropoda: general, evolution, phylogenetics relationships with other Phyla. Artropoda of Cambrian . Hints on Anomalocarida, Trilobita, Euripterida. Chelicerata: hints on Merostomata e Pantopoda. Aracnida: Spiders, Scorpions, Opilionids, Mites; hints on other orders. Crustacea: general, hints on Cefalocarida e Remipedia. Malacostraca, general; Decapoda, Eufasiacea, Isopoda, Anfipoda, hints on other orders. Main orders of Entomostraca: Copepoda, Cirripeda, Cladocera. Hints on Onicofora and Tardigrads. Miriapoda: Diplopoda, Chilopoda, hints on other orders. Esapoda: general, phylogenetics relationships, evolution of flight. Hints on Apterigota and Pterigota.