BISC316 Vertebrate Biology
Introductory Lecture
Tammy McMullan
Office B9224
tmcmulla@[Link]
Office hours
Wednesday 10:30 -11:30
Thursday 2:00 -3:00
Lab Instructor
Erin Barley ebarley@[Link]
Teaching Assistants
Andy Ip asip@[Link]
Sona Han sha287@[Link]
Teaching Technician
Claire Gooding
“The history of vertebrate life is a fascinating story,
one that chronicles the rise and fall of numerous
groups of organisms, including strange and bizarre
types like nothing alive in the world today. It is a
story of major evolutionary transformations over
millions of years, of long periods of little or no
change, and of disastrous worldwide extinctions
and great evolutionary radiations. And, of course,
the story includes our own evolutionary history,
which can be traced from our early ancestors
among ancient jawless fish.”
L.B. Radinsky (1987) The Evolution of Vertebrate
Design
Books
Pough, Bemis, McGuire and Janis
2023. Vertebrate Life 11th Edition
De Iuliis and Pulerà 2007. The
Dissection of Vertebrates 1st Edition
(available for free through SFU
Library)
Course Objectives
Provide an overview of the evolution of
vertebrates
Use vertebrate evolution to illustrate
principles, including:
the reconstruction of ___________________
the evolution of _______________________
homology versus analogy
adaptation
Consider the various adaptive radiations of
vertebrates
Examine why and how these radiations occurred
Examine how vertebrates are adapted to life
in _________________________________
___________________________________
Consider the basic design of each of the
vertebrate classes
→ examine ___________________________
experiments in vertebrate design
Examine the _____________________ and
ways of life of ______________ vertebrates
Course Design
Lectures and labs - biology of vertebrates
Lectures are built around a framework of
vertebrate evolution
→ extinct and extant animals
Blending of biological principles:
physiology
ecology
developmental biology
behavioral ecology
molecular biology
Vancouver Aquarium Field Trip
Vancouver Aquarium
TBD – will be a Saturday in mid to late June
Meet at Main Entrance
of the Aquarium @ 9:45 AM
[Link]
Course Evaluation
Lectures 60%
Midterm Exam 20%
Final Exam 30%
Written Assignment 10%
Laboratory 40%
Midterm 15%
Final 25%
Evaluation
88% and above
A+
83 - 87.99% A
80 - 82.99% A-
77 - 79.99% B+
73 - 76.99% B
70 - 72.99% B-
65 - 69.99% C+
60 - 64.99% C
55 - 59.99% C-
50 - 54.99% D
< 50% F
How to approach the course
Keep the objectives of the course and of the
labs in mind
Focus on:
______________________
______________________
the principles of vertebrate _____________
and ______________________
Apply the concepts and principles to
understand specific examples and details
Use specific details to derive principles
Use the lectures as a guide for the
level of detail required on the lecture
examinations
Consider the evidence used to
construct the evolutionary history of
vertebrate groups
Key adaptive breakthroughs in each class of
vertebrates will be examined
→ In context of the _________________
→ The ________________of these animals
Comparisons of other vertebrate groups will
be used to describe the evolutionary trends
of _________________________________
Lecture Schedule
The basic design of vertebrates
Overview of the current diversity of living
vertebrates and their evolutionary history
The origin of vertebrates
The origin and adaptive radiations of fishes,
amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals
Evolutionary trends in organ systems:
circulatory, digestive, reproductive, jaws
and middle ears
Exams
Lecture Midterm June 27 or 30 (vote next Wed.)
Lab Midterm week of June 16
Lab Final week of August 4
Lecture Final TBA (Final exam period
August 10-21)
Update link to
lecture audio
recordings
[Link]
[Link]