BIO 326 - Comparative Anatomy (4)

Prerequisites: Must have a C- or better in BIO 110 , BIO 111 , and BIO 212 , or permission.

This course uses an evolutionary perspective to provide an overview of characteristics shared by all chordates and to examine modifications particular to individual classes and orders. Topics such as homology and analogy, adaptation, and the interplay between form and function are emphasized, supplemented by laboratory observations of representative organisms. Students successfully completing the course will understand how studies of chordate evolution may be addressed from an anatomical perspective and, in turn, how the anatomy of various chordate groups has been shaped by evolutionary processes. Students are expected to develop skills in identifying major anatomical structures and their functions, conducting dissections and other laboratory techniques, and applying appropriate terminology to structures, functions, organisms, and evolutionary processes.