Learning objectives
The Course is aimed to provide the basic concepts of Animal Biology with particular emphasis to the evolutionary approach. An important part of the course will be devoted to a comparative analysis of to the form and function of animals belonging to the main Phyla. <br />
Prerequisites
Modulo A- Zoologia
Course unit content
<p><strong>THE CELL (B):</strong> Metabolism of the cell. The cellular cycle. Cellular division. Mitosis. Meiosis and gametogenesis. Sexual life cycles. <br />
<strong>INFORMATION AND HEREDITY (Basic concepts):</strong> Chromosomic bases of heredity. Molecular bases of heredity. DNA as the seat of genetic information. DNA duplication. The long way from genotype to phenotype, the first step: the synthesis of polypeptides. <br />
<strong>THE FORM AND THE FUNCTION IN ANIMALS. A) The architecture of animal body:</strong> Hierarchical organization of animal complexity. Structural models of the body. Symmetry. Body cavities. Metamery. Cephalisation. Homology and Analogy. <strong>B) How the animal machinery works: </strong>An introduction to the basic processes of maintenance and homeostasis. Nutrition. Circulation and gas exchange. Regulation of the internal environment. Neuro-sensory and movement mechanisms. <br />
<strong>REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT:</strong> Asexual reproduction. Sexual reproduction. Conjugation in Ciliates. Evolution of sexuality. Fertilization. Amphigony and Parthenogenesis . Primary and secondary sexual characters. Sexual dimorphism. Gonochorism and hermaphroditism. Sexual selection. Reproductive strategies. Monogamy and Polygamy. Parental cares. Metagenesis, Neoteny, Heterogony. Embryonic and pos-embryonic development. Metamorphosis. <br />
<strong>BASIC CONCEPTS OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY AND INTERACTIONS AMONG ORGANISMS. <br />
EVOLUTION: </strong>The idea of evolution: Historical background. The theory of Darwin and evidences supporting it. Forces of evolution. Microevolution. Speciation and mechanism of reproductive isolation. Macroevolution. <br />
<strong>ANIMAL CLASSIFICATION AND PHYLOGENY: </strong>Criteria of classification. Taxonomic nomenclature. Systematic categories. Phylogenetic position and features of the main animal Taxa. <br />
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Full programme
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Bibliography
<p>BIOLOGIA (Volumi Vari) - Purves, Sadava, Orians, Heller (Zanichelli, Bologna) <br />
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BIOLOGIA (Volumi Vari) - Campbell, Reece (2004, Zanicelli, Bologna) </p>
Teaching methods
TEACHING: Lectures made using also multimedia tools. <br />
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evaluation: oral examination aimed to verify the capacity of the student to tackle zoological problems using the methodological principles and knowledge acquired during the course. <br />
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Other information
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