Invertebrate Biology

The study of invertebrate animals, which comprise more than 90 percent of all animal species and represent the most diverse approaches to life on earth. A wide variety of protozoans cnidarians, echinoderms, mollusks, crustaceans, arachnids and insects are examined. Animals are studied primarily in the field for the first half of the course and the lab in the second. Emphasis is upon their ecology, evolution, behavior, and taxonomy. Specialized topics include regeneration, parasitology, sociality, and adaptations to freshwater, marine, and terrestrial habitats. Oral, written, and independent projects are required. (BIOL 0140) 3 hrs. lect./3 hrs. lab