Animal biology represents a module of the course “Animal and plant biology”. The course aims at providing basic knowledge on the organization, biology and evolution of animal kingdom. It will address the intimate relationship between form and function, at different levels of organization and complexity of the organism, from unicellular to more specialized, multicellular levels. The body plan and major adaptations of a representative sample of animal biodiversity will be examined in an evolutionary perspective. The students will be able to describe the key concepts, criteria and methods of the relationship between form and function of animals, and the levels of organization and complexity of organisms. They will also acquire knowledge on the importance of evolution of organisms and of skills for the analysis of animal biodiversity.
Course Prerequisites
Basic knowledge on the organization of cells and tissues, cell division processes and mechanisms of transmission of genetic information is required.
Teaching Methods
The course is organized in lectures. Powerpoint presentations and movies will be used during lectures.
Assessment Methods
Exam sessions are foreseen in the number planned by the Degree Course. The exam consists of a written test on the topics presented during the course (multiple choice questions and open-ended questions). The acquisition of the knowledge on the various animal forms (structure, functions and systematic) by the student will be evaluated. The evaluation will take into account the capacity of learning, elaboration of the literature, and the ability to discuss the knowledge acquired during the course. In order to verify the knowledge acquired by the students, a test could be planned during the semester.
The final outcome of the examination of “Animal and plant biology”, out of thirty, will be the average of the marks obtained in the two modules.
Contents
Structural and functional organization of the animals (18 h): - the body plan of the animals (symmetry, structural aspects, size) - life functions (nutrition, circulation, excretion, respiration, locomotion, nervous system and sense organs, reproduction, embryonic development) Evolution of animals (30 h): - an overview of evolutionary biology (Darwin's theory, descent with modification, fitness, natural selection, adaptation) - the origin of life - the evolution of animal biodiversity (the origin and diversification of eukaryotes, multicellularity) - animal classification and new animal phylogeny - features of the most important phyla: protists, poriferans, cnidarians, ctenophora, platyhelminthes, nematodes, rotifers, molluscs, annelids, artropods, echinoderms, chordates
Course Language
Italian
More information
Upon appointment via e-mail (gianluca.tettamanti@uninsubria.it).
