ZOOL/ENTOM 511
Principles of Systematic Biology
Credits: 3
Prerequisites:Bio Sci 103, 104; 10 additional hours of Zoology
(any courses in Entomology, Systematic Paleontology, Plant Taxonomy,
etc., may be considered at Zoology for purposes of prerequisites);
graduate standing.
Instructor: W.
J. Turner
Text:Mayr, E. and P. D. Ashlock. 1991. Principles of
Systematic Zoology. 2nd ed. McGraw Hill, New York. 475
p.
OBJECTIVES OF COURSE
For the student to be able to:
- Understand and evaluate basic systematic concepts and principles
applied in all fields of biology.
- Become familiar with basic taxonomic categories and associated
classificatory principles.
- Understand classical and current taxonomic methodology and systematic
procedures.
- Appreciate the rules of nomenclature in several diverse disciplines.
LECTURE OUTLINE
No. of Lectures Topic
1 Introduction to the science of systematics. Aims, objectives
and definitions. Literature of systematic biology.
1 Evolution and the processes of speciation.
2 Species concepts: philosophical background and definitions
used in zoology, botany, paleontology, microbiology and anthropology.
2 Infraspecific categories: subspecies, varieties and forms;
populational and individual variation.
1 Higher categories: genus, family and other higher
categories. Hierarchies in biology.
1 Classification and identification: introduction to taxonomic
characters; techniques and principles.
15 Systematic classification: a survey and evaluation of
approaches: traditional, phenetic, and cladistic.
1 Paleohistory: influence of events and early life on systematics.
1 Biogeography: codified systems for naming organisms.
1 Systematic collections: storing specimens and associated data.
1 Ethics in systematic biology
GRADING CRITERIA
- Lecture mid-terms (3) 60%
- Term paper 20%
- Discussion 20%
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