This course provides a comprehensive overview of phylogenetic and taxonomic methods, focusing on the evolutionary history and classification of animals.
The Phylogenetic Approaches section covers the origin of animals, tracing the transition from unicellular to multicellular life, and examines key faunas such as the Ediacaran and Burgess Shale. It explores major hypotheses of metazoan origins and the evolutionary advantages of features like symmetry and coelom in invertebrates. Phylogenetic relationships among major invertebrate groups and adaptive radiation events are also discussed. In vertebrate phylogeny, the course addresses the evolution of jawless and jawed vertebrates, including significant groups like Ostracoderms, Chondrichthyes, and Osteichthyes. The module concludes with an analysis of the evolutionary history of amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, including discussions on adaptive radiation, extinction events, and the conservation status of various species.
The Taxonomic Approaches section focuses on biological classification, detailing taxonomic hierarchy, procedures, and nomenclature codes. It includes a review of modern and classical taxonomic methods, such as molecular phylogeny and barcoding, and explores innovations in taxonomy like e-taxonomy and cyber taxonomy. The course also covers the use of different taxonomic keys and publications, emphasizing the ethical aspects of taxonomy.
- Teacher: jean maryjoy