Module Information

Module Identifier
BR26820
Module Title
Vertebrate Organisms
Academic Year
2019/2020
Co-ordinator
Dr Ian Scott
Semester
Semester 2
Other Staff
 

Course Delivery

Delivery Type Delivery length / details
Lecture 30 x 1 Hour Lectures
Practical 5 x 4 Hour Practicals
 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment Anatomical drawings portfolio  (four labelled drawings)  30%
Semester Assessment Experimental report  (2000 words with data analysis)  30%
Semester Exam 2 Hours   Short answer theory paper  40%
Supplementary Exam 2 Hours   Students must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that lead to failure of the module  40%
Supplementary Assessment Students must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that lead to failure of the module  60%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

1. Dissect a vertebrate organism and identify the major organs.

2. Demonstrate an understanding of the functional anatomy of vertebrate organisms.

3. Demonstrate knowledge of the evolution of vertebrate organisms.

4. Demonstrate a theoretical and practical understanding of vertebrate phylogenetics.

Brief description

‘Vertebrate Organisms’ will provide a suitable grounding in the core subject matter of vertebrate zoology, for students with zoological or veterinary interests. The anatomical plans of the major groups of vertebrates will be scrutinized and interpreted in terms of their functioning. The taxonomic diversity and evolutionary ancestry of the living vertebrates will also be an integral theme of the module.

Content

The module will open by considering the ‘structural blueprint ‘ of the vertebrate organism, as a conceptual benchmark for key themes throughout the module. These themes will be the evolution, diversity, and functioning of the vertebrate blueprint. The major part of the lecture course will be divided into three unequal sized sections entitled: ‘Non-amniotic Vertebrates’ (fish and amphibians); ‘Synapsida’ (mammals); and ‘Sauropsida’ (crocodilians, pterosaurs, dinosaurs, birds, lepidosaurs and turtles). Anatomical features of each group of organisms will be reviewed in terms of the evolution, diversity, and function themes.

There will be four practical dissection classes (on dogfish, frog, rat and chick) based on those in the precursor module BR23710 ‘Vertebrate Anatomy’. A new practical class called ‘Cladistics’ will utilize the extensive collection of vertebrate skeletons in the IBERS Museum. Students will score a character matrix for phylogenetic analysis of a diversity of skeletons, thereby testing the evolutionary relationships discussed in the lectures. There will be supporting lectures for both the dissection and cladistics practicals.
There will be 3 assessments: a theory paper; a portfolio of drawings from the dissection classes; and a report on the cladistics exercise.

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number Quality evaluation of phylogenetic analysis for the Cladistics practical will require quantitative reasoning.
Communication Cladistics practical will be a research problem and require literature search and synthesis for the report.
Improving own Learning and Performance The series of four Anatomy practicals will provide the opportunity for critique and progressive improvement.
Information Technology Specialized software will need to be mastered for the Cladistics data analysis.
Personal Development and Career planning Career relevance of anatomical knowledge for animal care will be highlighted.
Problem solving Cladistics practical will involve solving phylogenetic relations using observations on biological specimens.
Research skills Cladistics practical will be a research problem and require literature search and synthesis for the report.
Subject Specific Skills Anatomical knowledge gained in the dissection and Cladistics classes is specific.
Team work Cladistics practical exercise will involve scoring of skeletal characters by a team.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5