BIOL210-19S2 (C) Semester Two 2019

Vertebrate Biology

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 15 July 2019
End Date: Sunday, 10 November 2019
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Friday, 26 July 2019
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Friday, 27 September 2019

Description

The comparative anatomy, general biology, ecology, physiology and evolutionary history of the vertebrates.

This is a 15 point course dealing with the biology and evolution of the phylum Chordata and in particular the subphylum Vertebrata, animals with backbones. The course gives an overview of the phylum highlighting form and function and gives information on evolutionary relationships.
Lectures include:
• Origins of the phylum Chordata
• Life in the sea – origins and radiations of the fishes
• Movement onto land – the emergence of the tetrapods
• Locomotion – swimming, walking, flying
• Dinosaurs and other reptiles
• Birds and mammals – successful homeotherms

Learning Outcomes

  • Students will:
  • Have knowledge about the different classes within the phylum
  • Know how the different classes are related
  • Have knowledge of the chronology of the emergence of different groups of vertebrates
  • Have information about the role of extinction events
  • Have detailed knowledge of the anatomy of vertebrates
  • Have detailed knowledge of the identifying features of vertebrates
  • Be able to use the library to find research material and be able to use that information to write essays

    Transferable Skills
  • An ability to dissect a range of vertebrate animals, and thus have the technical knowledge and skills to examine the internal anatomy of any animal.
  • Synthesising information from primary literature.
  • Writing a report on findings. Communication of science is fundamental to its use and advancement

Prerequisites

Timetable Note

It is compulsory to wear a lab coat in the laboratory and can be purchased at the beginning of the year.

Where to purchase your lab coats and safety glasses

PLEASE NOTE YOU NOW COLLECT FROM THE NEW ERNEST RUTHERFORD BUILDING.

To purchase: buy a receipt from the Copy Centre, 2nd floor, Puaka-James Hight building, (payment by eftpos and credit card only – lab coats $32, glasses $10), 9.00 am - 4.00 pm, Monday to Friday.

Receipts may then be exchanged in the atrium inside the southern entry to the Ernest Rutherford Building, 8.30 – 10 am and 1.30 – 2.30 pm, Monday to Friday for the first two weeks of the semester.

After the first two weeks they can be collected from Ernest Rutherford Room 130 (Chemical Store).

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Bill Davison

Lecturer

Jim Briskie

Lab Coordinator

Claire Galilee

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Essay 15%
Final Exam 50%
Lab work 15%
Practical Test 20%

Textbooks / Resources

Required Texts

Pough, F. Harvey. , Janis, Christine M., Heiser, John B; Vertebrate life ; 9th ed; Pearson, 2013.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $883.00

International fee $4,000.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see School of Biological Sciences .

All BIOL210 Occurrences

  • BIOL210-19S2 (C) Semester Two 2019
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