BIOL 247S - Vertebrate Zoology at St. Andrews

Credits: 3

Prerequisite: Prerequisite: An average grade of at least 3.0 in BIOL 111 and 113, a 3.000 cumulative GPA, and consent of the Department of Biology. This course explores the diversity of vertebrate animals, beginning with the closest relatives of vertebrates and the evolutionary origins of the group. A detailed look at the defining characteristics of the body plans and lifestyles of the key vertebrate groups illustrate how they carry out basic animal functions in similar or different ways. This is put in an evolutionary context to reveal the patterns and trends in the vertebrates as a whole, while also highlighting current phylogenetic controversies. The module then explores some common themes across the key groups, starting with the developmental biology of some vertebrate model systems and the lessons we can learn from these. We also see how the highly developed brains of vertebrates have allowed the evolution of astonishing sensory capacities and of complex behaviors, and how these are different (or not) from invertebrates.