Weeks

Course Contents

Dates

pages

1

Introduction

Classification of organisms; evolutionary relationships and tree diagrams; patterns of organization.

1st week

Miller and Harley 5th Edition

Page 90-102

2

Animal-Like Protists: The Protozoa

Evolutionary perspective; life within a single plasma membrane; symbiotic life-styles.

2nd week

Miller and Harley 5th Edition

Page 105-107

3

 Protozoan taxonomy: (up to phyla, subphyla and super classes)

3rd week

Miller and Harley 5th Edition

Page 108-111

4

Pseudopodia and amoeboid locomotion; cilia and other pellicular structures; nutrition; genetic control and reproduction; symbiotic ciliates; further phylogenetic considerations.

4th week

Miller and Harley 5th Edition

Page 111-118

5

Multicellular and Tissue Levels of Organization

Evolutionary perspective: origins of multicellularity; animal origins.

Phylum porifera: cell types, body wall, and skeletons; water currents and body forms; maintenance functions; reproduction.

Phylum cnidaria (coelenterata) the body wall and nematocysts; alternation of generations; maintenance functions; reproduction and classification up to class.

Phylum ctenophora; further phylogenetic considerations.

5th week

Miller and Harley 5th Edition

Page 121-138

6

Triploblastics and Acoelomate Body Plan

Evolutionary perspective;

phylum platyhelminthes: classification up to class; the free-living flatworms and the tapeworms;

phylum nemertea;

phylum gastrotricha; further phylogenetic considerations.

6th week

Miller and Harley 5th Edition

Page 141-154

7

Pseudocoelomate Body Plan: Aschelminths

Evolutionary perspective; general characteristics; classification up to phyla with external features; feeding and the digestive system; other organ systems; reproduction and development of

phylum rotifera and

phylum nematoda;

phylum kinorhyncha. Some important nematode parasites of humans; further phylogenetic considerations.

7th week

Miller and Harley 5th Edition

Page 157-170

8

Molluscan Success

Evolutionary perspective: relationships to other animals; origin of the coelom; molluscan characteristics; classification up to class. The characteristics of shell and associated structures, feeding, digestion, gas exchange, locomotion, reproduction and development, other maintenance functions and diversity in gastropods, bivalves and cephalopods; further phylogenetic considerations.

8th week

Miller and Harley 5th Edition

Page 173-188

Mid Semester Examination

9

Annelida:

The Metameric Body Form Evolutionary perspective: relationship to other animals, metamerism and tagmatization; classification up to class. External structure and locomotion, feeding and the digestive system, gas exchange and circulation,

9th week

Miller and Harley 5th Edition

Page 191-194

10

nervous and sensory functions, excretion, regeneration, reproduction and development, in polychaeta, oligochaeta and hirudinea; further phylogenetic considerations.

10th week

Miller and Harley 5th Edition

Page 194-204

11

Arthropods: Blueprint for Success

Evolutionary perspective: classification and relationships to other animals; metamerism and tagmatization; the exoskeleton; metamorphosis;

classification up to class; further phylogenetic considerations.

11th week

Miller and Harley 5th Edition

Page 206-208

and Miller and Harley 5th Edition

Page 209-222

12

Hexapods and Myriapods: Terrestrial Triumphs

Evolutionary perspective; classification up to class.

12th week

Miller and Harley 5th Edition

Page 225-229

13

External structure and locomotion, nutrition and the digestive system, gas exchange,

13th week

Miller and Harley 5th Edition

Page 230-232

14

circulation and temperature regulation, nervous and sensory functions, excretion, chemical regulation,

14th week

Miller and Harley 5th Edition

Page 232-233

15

reproduction and development in hexapoda; Insect behavior; insects and humans; further phylogenetic considerations.

15th week

Miller and Harley 5th Edition

Page 234-237

16

Echinodermata: Characteristics, classification, Larvae, water vascular system

16th week

Miller and Harley 5th Edition

Page 241-253

Final Term Examination