Zoology 2

• On form and function of animals, on reproduction, as well as the evolutionary processes which underlie animal diversity
• On the main Protozoan and Metazoan taxa

and the ability:

• To apply the knowledge outlined above to identify animals belonging to common taxa and/or animals of special economical or health interest
• To interpret phylogenetic trees
• To use discipline-specific lexicon

In case there is a need to deliver the teaching remotely or in a mixed mode, the activities will be adjusted accordingly.

Please note: the course comprises a substantial number of practical activities. Only in exceptional circumstances, students who do not attend regularly will be allowed to take part in this activities.

1 – Animal for and function. The main groups of living organisms and their inter-relationships. Animal traits. Function and organization: metabolism, respiration and gas exchange, feeding, transport, excretion, homeostasis (temperature regulation and osmoregulation), nervous system and sense organs, movement and support.

Sexual and asexual reproduction in Protozoa. Sexual and asexual reproduction in Metazoa. Amphigony and other strategies, gonochorism and hermaphroditism. Secondary sexual traits, sexual dimorphism and mechanisms of sex determination. Notes on embryonic and post-embryonic development. Symmetry.

2 - Classification and phylogeny of animals. Evolution and animal diversity. Species and higher taxa. Taxonomic naming conventions. Concept of homology. Phylogeny and phylogenetic trees. Methods for classification. 

3 - Protozoa. General traits, notes on classification, main taxa with special regard for human protozoan parasites.

4 - Metazoa. Origin of multicellular organisms and main evolutionary lineages. Morphology and diversification into subclades of the main clades of Metazoa: Sponges, Cnidarians, Ctenophors, Flatworms (with special attention to the main parasites of humans), Lophophorates, Mollusks, Anellids, Nematodes (with special regards to the species which parasitise humans). Arthropods: Chelicerates, Crustaceans, Myriapods, Hexapods. Echinoderms. Chordates: Tunicates, Cephalocordates, Vertebrates. The main groups of Vertebrates: Cyclostomes, Cartilaginous fish, Bony fish, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds and Mammals.

Using the material provided by the instructor as the starting point is essential as the instructor does not strictly follow the material presented in a single book.

The following books should not be intended as "adopted" books but, rather, as mere "prioritary" suggestions.

For the general part:

D. Sadava, et al. – Life: The Science of Biology. Freeman

For the systematic part:

Hickmann et al. - Integrated Principles of Zoology. McGraw-Hill.

The maximum mark is earned by those students who show - in all tests - knowledge of topics, ability of connecting topics, and ability of explaining with the correct language.

There will be a mid-term, non-mandatory, test, the details of which will be explained during the course. To participate to this mid-term test, one has to have attended no less than 70% of lectures. The date of the mid-term test will be agreed upon with students based on their needs (e.g., exams of other units). It is also possible that the mid-term test will be transformed into a end-of-the-course test.

• Describe the potential problems and related general solutions when organisms are in hypotonic, isotonic, and hypertonic solutions.
• Given a set of traits scored on three organisms, find out which are the most likely evolutionary relationships among them.
• Allopatric and sympatric speciation: describe and contrast them.