Instructor

Walter I. Hatch

SH 218 Ext 4368

wihatch@smcm.edu

Lecture

MWF 10:00 - 11:50am

SH132

Lab

M 1:20 - 04:00pm

SH224 and SHB06

Office hours

MWF 9:15 - 10:30am

SH218 and AIM

AOL IM address wihatchsmcm

Prerequisites

The only prerequisite for this course is Biol 106.

Objectives

Invertebrate zoology includes all aspects of the biology of all animal organisms that are not included in the phylum Chordata subphylum Vertebrata. As this includes more than 95% of all of the described species of animals and far more than 99% of all of the individual animals on the planet, it should be clear that no one semester course could come close to an in depth look at this subject. Quite obviously, invertebrate zoology can not be considered a specialized sub field of zoology; at least not in the same sense as parasitology, entomology or even vertebrate zoology. A field that embraces all biological aspects including morphology, physiology, ontogeny, phylogeny, ecology, behavior, etc of the vast majority of animals on earth can hardly be considered a distinct subsection of biology.

My primary objective in this course is not to present you with a one semester capsule of all things invertebrate, but to provide you with an overview and selected highlights. Your primary objective in this course is, therefore, not to master invertebrate biology but, rather, to gain an overview of the organismal biology of the major groups of animal organisms including the chordata but excluding the Vertebrata (If it has bones we won't mess with it). We will examine the structure, function, behavior, habitat, ecology, evolution and phylogeny relationships of the major groups of invertebrates. We will restrict detailed examinations to selected examples that typify major groups or clarify evolutionary relationships.

The central theme running throughout this course will be phylogeny. What do we as contemporary biologists think about the evolutionary relationships that produced the ext ordinary diversity of life on Earth. will be the central question. We will simply restrict our exploration to invertebrate life. You should leave this course with an understanding of our current knowledge about the evolution of animals, an appreciation for the significance of major invertebrate groups and the ability to use that information to examine the literature on invertebrates and extend that knowledge even further.

Lab Objectives

The primary objectives for the laboratory section of this course including:

• Introducing you to the structure, function and behavior of select invertebrate types through the observation of both living and preserved specimens;
• Reinforcing your basic laboratory skills including microscopy, dissection and careful observation;
• Providing you with the ability to recognize the major groups of invertebrate,
• Increasing your understanding of the methods of investigating animal evolution as well the current state of our knowledge.

Lab supplies

You will require the following for the laboratory section of the course.

• Standard student dissecting kit:. NOTE: The dregs of your freshman dissection kit will suffice it it includes sharp scissors, blunt probes (seeker probes not needles) and basic forceps.
• Laboratory notebook: NOTE: Your lab note book is important for quiz preparation. Is very difficult to succeed on practical exams unless you have produced carefully labeled and scaled sketches in your laboratory notebook. I will look over your shoulder and try to coach you, but your notebooks will not be formally evaluated. You don't have to be a graphic artist to produce a useful notebook; you simply need to recognize what you have drawn.
• Although not required, some students find a few colored pencils useful for sketches of organisms.
• Like many Biology courses Invertebrate Zoology can be "new vocabulary" intensive. Taking the time to translate the Greek and Latin Roots, suffixes cans prefixes will pay off during exams. Paper or electronic flash cards usually improve grades substantively. Its up to you, but students who took the time achieved higher exam scores with less anxiety.

Textbooks

• Ruppert, E.E., Fox, R.S., and R.D. Barns, Invertebrate Zoology
  a Functional Evolutionary Approach, 7th ed., 20004, Thomson Brools/Cole
  ,
• Borror, D.J., 1971. Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms. Mayfield Publishing Co. Palo Alto California.134 pages
  
  
• Additional or supplementary readings as posted on blackboard.
  

Evaluation

The evaluation of traditional invertebrate courses, this one included, often centered on the student's ability to become familiar with the taxonomic terminology. The student who successfully memorized a taxonomic scheme often did very well in these courses. We will attempt an approach that will de-emphasize the memorization of arcane terms and their spelling. Rather than memorize a few thousand Greek and Latin polysyllabic words you will concentrate instead on developing an understanding of the evolution and current significance of the invertebrates. The course will, therefore, become somewhat less less content and more process oriented.

In order to accomplish this goal, you can expect to have a copy of all taxonomic terms in your possession for each exam and laboratory practical. In this way you can concentrate on understanding the invertebrates and need only develop an ability to recognize the major taxa from their significant characteristics and understand the evolutionary relationships between them. I am considering providing you with a cladistic, morphological, and functional term list as well. This will be discussed.

To augment the shift from content to process orientation for this course and to encourage active learning, you will participate in student lead discussions on recent thinking on the evolution of the major taxa.

Your performance in this course will be evaluated on the basis your performance on the following items:

Lecture exams

Lecture exams will cover material from lecture, class discussions, textbook and other assigned readings as well as from the laboratory manual and lab observations. Lecture exams will be cumulative in order to encourage you to review previous material. The final exam will include questions on all of the material covered in the course. Exams will include:

• 'very short answers' (define the following terms) '
• 'not so short answers' (compare and contrast the following)
• 'not at all short answer questions' (discuss the relationship between...), (discuss the adaptive significance of ...)

There will be no surprises on exams! You will be provided with study guides containing my explicit expectations of you.

Final examination

A comprehensive final exam will cover the course and laboratory material for the entire semester. There are no traditional laboratory practical exams in this course. You will, however, be expected to go into the lab and interpret data gathered during your lab experiments using the analysis tools used in lab.

Depending on class size, and negotiations with you, the final exam may contain multiple choice as well.

Laboratory practical exams

There will be a mid term and an end term laboratory practical exam. The end term practical will cover only the material studied after the midterm and is thus not cumulative, as are the lecture exams.

Laboratory reports

At the risk of disappointing all of you, I regret to announce that there are none.  This should not be interreted as "there is nothing to do after lab"  you will need to commit the same ammount of time as you do in other courses.  The time will, hoever, be invested in studying the relationships between the organisms and learning the new vocabulary.

Attendance

Class attendance: You are expected to attend all lectures and complete assigned readings prior to lectures for each topic. Although I will not record attendance, missing a class will affect your performance on exams and will affect my evaluation of your class participation. This is a small class - You will be missed.

Laboratory attendance: Makeup laboratories are difficult when live beasts are involved. Lab material will be retained for a week if possible, but you will be on your own. Therefore, missing more than two labs may well be hazardous to your grade. On the bright side, if you need to leave early (or even on time) you can come back and finish up or review any time the lab is free.

Exam attendance: Exam attendance is, however, mandatory. Lecture exams can only be made up if you have been kidnapped, are in a coma or if you make arrangements with me prior to the scheduled examination time. Makeup exams will generally be comprehensive oral examinations that are administered on the last day of the final exam period.

Grades:

Students’ final course grade will be determined on the basis of total points earned in the course. A total of 1000 points are possible. The distribution of points is as follows:

Lecture Exams

2 @ 150 pts

= 300

Final Exam

1 @ 300 pts

= 300

Lab Practical

2 @ 150 pts

= 300

Class participation (presentations)

100 pts

=100

Total

= 1000

Note

Students are expected to be familiar with and to abide by the policies on academic honesty as stated in the College Catalog and the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Students are expected to read the Biology Department Safety Manual and act in accordance with its directions whenever they are in any biology laboratory. In order to encourage this behavior , Material from the Safety Manual may appear on any examination.

Tentative Lecture Schedule*

Week

Date

Topic

Reading

01

Jan 17

Introduction -Evolution phylogeny and cladistics

Chpt 1
The Basics of Cladistic analysis**
The Complete Cladist

02

Jan 23

Eukaryotes and the protista

Chpt 2 and 3

03

Jan 30

Introduction to metazoans: Porifera and placozoa

Chpt 4 and Chpt 5

04

Feb 06

Introduction to the Radiata

Chpt 6, 7 and 8

05

Feb 13

Introduction to Bilateria - Platyhelminths and Nemertia

06

Feb 19

The Mollusca

Chpt 12

07

Feb 27

The Annelida

Chapt 13

08

March 05

Selected lesser Trochozoa, Gnathiferans and Lophophorates

Chpt 14, 23, 24 and 25

March 11

Spring break

09

March 19

Introduction to the Ecdysozoa - Chelicerates

Chpt 16, 17 and 18

10

March 26

The Mandibulates Crustacea

Chpt 19

11

April 02

Hexapods and myripods

Chpt 20 and 21

12

April 09

Lesser ecdysozoa

Chpt 15, 22 and 23

13

April 16

14

April 23

Chordates

 Chpt 27 and 28

April 07

Final Exam Friday April 07- 7:00 -9:15pm

Tentative Laboratory Schedule*

Week

Date

Topic

Reading

01

Jan 18

No classes

02

Jan 23

Cladistics

03

Jan 30

Protozoa

04

Feb 06

Porifera

05

Feb 13

Cnidaria and Ctenophora

06

Feb 20

Platyhelminths and a few lesser Trochophora

07

Feb 27

Molluaca and Lophophorates

08

March 05

Lab practical

 09 

March 19

Annelida

10

March 26

Cyclonuralia and Gnathifera

11

April 02

Trilobits Eurypterids and Chelicerates and

12

April 09

Crustaceans

13

April 16

14

April 23

Deuterostomes

TBA

April 26

Lab practical