BEN104 Vertebrate Zoology

Do you love animals and nature? Would you like to know more about them?

If you love animals and want to learn more about them, if you are involved in animal care and protection, animal management, wildlife management and care, veterinary, science teaching, or environmental management and protection, this course is a great option.

This indepth course will give you a thorough understanding of “higher” animals’ Zoology and Evolution, together with some principles on animal ecology and morphology.You will learn with the help of highly qualified and experienced tutors.
Lesson Structure

There are 10 lessons in this course:

Vertebrate Taxonomy and Diversity Taxonomic classifications (Kingdom, Phylum, Division, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species).
Morphology and Evolution
Environmental and Genetic Influences
Speciation
Diversification
Convergence
Diet
Habits
Distribution
Terminology
Fishes Fish Diversity (major groups):
Class Agnatha (jawless fishes)
Class Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fishes) and
Class Osteichthyes (bony fishes).
Ectotherms - Amphibians and Reptiles:
Definitions, Endothermy, Ectotermic, Tetrapods
Class Amphibia
Order Anura (Salientia) Frogs and Toads, Salamanders and Newts
Order Apoda (Gymnophiona) Caecilians
Class Reptilia: Reptiles (turtles, lizards, snakes, crocodiles and the extinct Dinosauria)
Order Rhynchocephalia - Tuatara
Order Chelonia (Testudines) - Turtles, tortoises
Order Crocodilia - Crocodilians
Order Squamata - Lizards and Snakes
Birds -Physiology (Structure) and Anatomy, Feathers, Colour, Legs, Skeletal structure, Muscles, Senses, Behaviour (Flight, Diving, etc), Egg formation, Hatching,
Bird Taxonomy –
Ratitae (flightless) birds
Carinatea (flying birds) Bird orders (eg. Grebes, divers, Ducks, geese and swans, Storks, flamingoes and herons, Owls, Eagles, falcons and hawks, Pelicans, gannets and cormorants, Chickens, turkeys, game birds and mount birds, Rails, coots and cranes, Pigeons and sand grouse, Gulls, auks and plovers, Parrots, parakeets, Hummingbirds, swifts, Woodpeckers, toucans, Kingfishers, bee-eaters and hornbills, Trogonos, quetzals, plumed birds, Perching birds such as sparrows, starlings, swallows (Passeriformes),
Diving birds, loons, Cuckoos, coucals Nighthawks, whippoorwills, Mousebirds, etc.
Mammals (Mammalia)
Overview - Taxonomy
Sub class Prototheria (egg laying animals) - echidna and platypus
Sub class Metatheria (Marsupials) eg. koala, kangaroo and opossum
Sub class Eutheria (Placental masmmals -these include such diverse forms as whales, elephants, shrews, and armadillos, dogs, cats, sheep, cattle and horses. Humans, of course, are also placental mammals).
Marsupials -Subclass Theria
(eg. kangaroos, koalas, wombats, bandicoots, opossums, phalangers, etc);
Marsupials Physiology and locomotion,
Reproduction
Grandorders Glires and Insectivora
including Rodents, Rabbits, Pikas, Hedgehogs, Moles, Shrews and Tenrecs. Taxonomy, structure, Adaptations.
Carnivores
includes dogs, wolves, bears, racoons, cats, weasels, hyenas, seals, sea lions and walruses.
Taxonomy, Physiology, Adaptations,
Hoofed Mammals (Ungulata: Includes seven orders)
Order Artiodactyla. This includes: Hippopotami, Deer, Giraffe, Sheep, Cattle, Antelope, Camelids
Order Cetacea. This includes: Dolphins, Porpoises, Whales
Order Perissodactyla. This includes: Horses, Rhinoceroses, Tapirs
Order Tubulidentata. This includes: Ardvarks
Order Hyracoidea. This includes: Hyraxes (or Conies)
Order Proboscidea. This includes: Elephants
Order Sirenia. This includes: Manatees and Dugongs
Primates and other Archonta.
This grandorder is sub divided into four sub orders:
Scandentia e.g. Tree Shrews
Dermoptera e.g. Flying Lemurs, Colugos
Chiroptera. This order comprises the bats.
Primates (Or Order Primates and sub order Strepsirhini) e.g. humans, monkeys, apes and lemurs

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.
Aims

Distinguish between major groups of vertebrates through a demonstrated understanding of their taxonomic classification and diversity.
Describe the distinguishing characteristics of all major groups of fishes.
Describe the distinguishing characteristics of all major groups of Ectotherms, Amphibians and Reptiles.
Describe the distinguishing characteristics of major groups of birds
Describe the distinguishing characteristics of all major groups of Mammals.
Describe the distinguishing characteristics of animals in the order Marsupialia and compare mammalian specialisations with those of other vertebrates.
Describe the distinguishing characteristics of animals within the grand orders Glires and Insectivora. Explain Ectothermy in a variety of different animals.
Describe the distinguishing characteristics of animals within the order Carnivora.
Describe the distinguishing characteristics of animals within the grand order Ungulata.
Describe the distinguishing characteristics of animals within the grandorder Archonta.

What You Will Do

Visit a Zoo, Wildlife Park or even a Pet Shop. Observe the range of animals present and report on them.
Visit an aquarium supply shop, marine park, fish retailer, or other facility where you can observe fish. If your mobility is restricted or you are unable to locate such a facility, look at the web site of an aquarium, and see what diversity of animals is to be seen on that web site. Identify animals from different orders and report on them.
Research the anatomical characteristics of one species of fish
Investigate the biological characteristics of one species of amphibian
Investigate the biological characteristics of one species of reptile
Research the biological characteristics of one species of bird
Observe the behaviour of a bird or birds for 1 hour (in the wild, or captivity). Take notes
Investigate the biological characteristics of one species of mammal.
Research a particular family or genus of marsupial.
Visit either a pet shop or zoo and observe any animals from the Glires or Insectivora that you find there.
Observe a dog closely. Take note of its external features in the light of the things you have learned in this lesson. Notice the shape of the head, body and legs, the characteristics of the feet, etc. Make notes on your observations. Compile a scientific description of the anatomy of the dog you observed. Where possible, use technical terminology that you have learned during your course.
Visit a farm, pet shop or zoo and observe any animals belonging to the grand order Ungulata that you find there. Make a list of these animals.
Research an order, family, genus or species of hooved Mammal (Ungulata).
Try to find out about the characteristics of your chosen group
Try to observe some monkeys and/or apes. You might do this by visiting a zoo, watching a video or looking on the Internet. Make notes of any similarities and dissimilarities you observe between these animals and humans. Research their physical and behavioural characteristics with a view to comparing these with human characteristics