The course covers all aspects of vertebrate phylogeny and evolution, starting with early chordates, and proceeding with information both from fossils and recent taxa, emphasizing character evolution along the phylogenetic tree, exploring the diversification expressed in all the other fish, the reptiles and amphibians, the birds and the mammals, and everything in between. In the end you will be confident to navigate up and down the phylogenetic tree and recognize vertebrate taxa.

Week

Topic

Books with page no.

1

Protochrodates: Structure, anatomy and organ systems;

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 252-257

Reproduction; life histories and metamorphosis; phylogenetic relationships;

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 258-260

 

Further phylogenetic considerations.

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 260-261

2

Fishes: Vertebrate Success in Water:

Miller and Harley 5th edition,268

Phylogenetic relationships; Agnatha

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 268-269

 

 Gnathostomata: locomotory adaptations,

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 269-270

3

Nutrition and the digestive system

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 275

 

Circulation, gas exchange, nervous and sensory functions

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 275-276

 

Excretion and osmoregulation,

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 279-280

4

Reproduction and development; further phylogenetic considerations.

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 280-281

Amphibians: The first terrestrial vertebrates: phylogenetic relationships; Caudata, Gymnophiona, and Anura;

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 284-286

 

Structure and locomotory adaptations, nutrition and the digestive system

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 287

5

Circulation, gas exchange, temperature regulations

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 290-291

 

Nervous and sensory functions

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 292-293

Excretion and osmoregulation,

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 293-294

6

Reproduction, development, and metamorphosis;

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 294-295

Further phylogenetic considerations

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 296-297

 

Reptiles: The First Amniotes: cladistic interpretation ofthe amniotic lineage

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 300-301

7

Testudines or Chelonia, Rhynchocephalia,

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 303-305

Squamata, and Crocodilia;

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 305-307

 

Adaptations in external structure and locomotion

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 307

8

Nutrition and the digestive system

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 307

Circulation, gas exchange

Miller and Harley 5th edition,308-309

 

Temperature regulation,

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 309-310

9

Nervous and sensory functions,

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 310

Excretion and osmoregulation,

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 310-311

 

Reproduction and development; further phylogenetic considerations.

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 311-312

10

Birds: Feathers, flight and endothermy:

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 315

Phylogenetic relationships; ancient birds and the evolution of flight;

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 316-317

 

Diversity of modern birds; adaptation in external structure and locomotion,

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 317-318

12

Nutrition and the digestive system,

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 322-323

 

Circulation, gas exchange, and regulation,

Miller and Harley 5th edition,323-324

Nervous and sensory systems,

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 325-326

13

Excretion and osmoregulation,

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 326

 

Reproduction and development; migration and navigation.

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 326-327

 

Mammals: Specialized teeth, endothermy,

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 332

14

Hair and viviparity;

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 332-333

 

Diversity of mammals; adaptations in external structure and locomotion,

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 333-334

 

Nutrition and the digestive system,

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 334-335

15

Circulation, gas exchange,

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 335- 337

 

Temperature regulation,

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 337-339

 

Nervous and sensory functions

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 339-340

16

Excretion and osmoregulation, behavior

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 340-343

 

Reproduction and development.

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 344-347

 

Reproductive cycles

Miller and Harley 5th edition, 347-350

 

 

Practicals

Museum study of:

1. Protochordates

2. Pisces

3. Amphibia

4. Reptilia

5. Aves

6. Mammalia

7. Field trips to study animal diversity in an ecosystem.