Animal Diversity Intro
Animal Diversity Intro
Animal Diversity Intro
BLACKBOARD
Lecture slides available as PDF (and Mac-formatted PowerPoint) files on Blackboard a day before lecture.
LECTURE: Dr. Kevin Dixon Office: 3020 King Bldg. Office hours: TW 1-2 PM, or by appt. E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 645-8813
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PLEASE REFER TO THE SYLLABUS FOR FULL COURSE DETAILS. (syllabus is posted on Blackboard)
Course objective: To gain exposure to the diversity of animal life on the planet Two guiding principles throughout: 1. Form and function (bio-engineering, bio-physics) 2. New ways of solving problems (variations on a theme; evolution)
Lab Manual
Tschinkel et al.
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2) Prepare summary charts comparing features among phyla. *****see Blackboard for examples*****
3) Prepare vocabulary flashcards or random word lists soon after each lecture. *****see Study Tips document on Blackboard***** 4) Form a study group. 5) STAY ON TOP OF THE MATERIAL!
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(1) to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity in the student's own work, (2) to refuse to tolerate violations of academic integrity in the university community, and (3) to foster a high sense of integrity and social responsibility on the part of the university community.
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How do animals fit into the larger picture of the diversity of life?
and vertebrates comprise only ~5% of the known diversity of life on the planet and mammals comprise at most only ~0.4 %!
So another course goal is simply to instill a better appreciation of all the other animals out there.
Deuterostomia
Echinodermata Hemichordata Urochordata Chordata [sea stars, etc.] [acorn worms] [sea squirts] [fish, frogs, birds, humans, etc.]
UNDETERMINED AFFINITIES
Gnathostomulida Cycliophora [interstitial worms] [discovered in 1995]
The exact evolutionary relationships among groups is still an ongoing and active area of research. 500 million years ago in the Cambrian, nearly 100 phyla had already evolved (the Cambrian explosion) representing nearly all major modern body plans. Many of the fossil forms are so weird we cant classify them i.e., Hallucigenia. Most of these ancient phyla are now extinct.
Hallucigenia
Olenoides serratus (1) Sidneyia (9), Waptia (17), Helmetia (13), Sanctacaris (18), Tegopelte (15), Naraoia (16), Leanchoilia (10), Canadaspis (12), Odaraia (19), Marrella (11), and Burgessia (14), as well as oddities such as Opabinia (24), Wiwaxia (26), Hallucigenia (20), Anomalocaris (28).
But, first
How do we study diversity? -what do we mean by diversity? - where does diversity come from? - how do we organize diversity? How do animals fit into the big picture?
Moths in Ecuador
Insects in Tallahassee
We will also try to gain a sense of the principle forces shaping the evolution of the observed diversity.
Classication
Kingdom Animalia (after this week) Phylum (Phyla) e.g. Chordata Class e.g. Mammalia Order e.g. Rodentia Family e.g. Sciuridae Genus and Species Sciurus carolinensis
Phylogeny
Working out evolutionary relationships among taxa. Darwin conceived of the idea of an evolutionary tree.
Systematics
Coming up with phylogenetic hypotheses and testing them Willi Hennig (German Entomologist) devised techniques for doing this look for shared traits that evolved within the group.