ANATOMIA COMPARATA ED EVOLUZIONE BIOLOGICA - channel 1

9 CFU - 1° Semester

Teaching Staff

ANNA MARIA PAPPALARDO - Module Comparative Anatomy - BIO/06 - 6 CFU
BIANCA MARIA LOMBARDO - Module BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION - BIO/05 - 3 CFU

Learning Objectives

Comparative Anatomy
Knowledge and understanding of vertebrate diversity in a phylogenetic context; ability to apply knowledge of the descriptive anatomy, embryology, the role of structures to understanding the evolution of vertebrates. Develop autonomy of judgment and communicative skills.
BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION
Knowledge and understanding of the historical development of evolutionary thinking, of the models and the processes of the biological evolution; mastery of the problems connected to the definition of species and to the speciation processes; knowledge of the main stages of evolution of life.
Ability to apply the knowledge gained in all biological disciplines.
Acquisition of the specific lexicon, required for communicate in written Italian language.

Course Structure

Comparative Anatomy
Lectures and laboratories.

Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the programme planned and outlined in the syllabus.

Verification of learning: learning assessment may also be carried out on line, should the conditions require it.
BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION
The teaching is divided into lectures and exercises; the latter provide both recurrent assessment activities and discussion on the learned contents.

Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the programme planned and outlined in the syllabus.

Detailed Course Content

Comparative Anatomy
Introduction to the study of the organ systems of vertebrates and their evolution. Unity of the structure of the Vertebrates. - Protection. Tegument and its derivatives, structure and functions of the skin, the tegument of the fish: the importance of dermal derivatives, the tegument of tetrapods: the importance of dander. - Support. The skull: relations between cranial components and evolution; axial skeleton: the evolution of the vertebrae, appendicular skeleton. - Circulation. Evolution of the cardiovascular system of vertebrates. Functional considerations and models of blood circulation. - Excretion and reproduction. The urinary system: structure and evolution of the kidney; osmoregulation in freshwater, sea water and land vertebrates. Reproductive system: development and differentiation of the gonads. Genital ducts. - Coordination and integration. Nervous system and sense organs. The nervous system: outlines, spinal cord and peripheral nerves, the brain and its evolution, the organ of smell, the ear and the eye.
BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION
Prae-darwinian theories on biological evolution. Darwinian theory. Adaptation and pre-adaptation. Natural selection. Sexual selection. The synthetic theory of evolution. Origin and maintenance of population variability. Factors disturbing genetic balance. The species concept. Reproductive barriers. The sub-species. Mechanisms of speciation. Ibridation. Adaptive radiation. Phyletic gradualism and intermittent equilibriums. Co-evolution. Micro- and Macroevolution. Estinction. Embrionic development and biological evolution (Evo-Devo). Biogenesis and abiogenesis. Origin of life. The main stages of the evolution of life. Hominid evolution.

Textbook Information

Comparative Anatomy
I -Stingo et al., Anatomia Comparata. Edi. Ermes

II - Liem et al., Anatomia comparata dei Vertebrati una visione funzionale
ed evolutiva. EdiSES.
III - E. Giavini, E. Menegola, Manuale di Anatomia Comparata. EdiSES
IV - G.C.Kent, Anatomia comparata dei Vertebrati. Ed Piccin.
BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION
I - Campbell, Reece – BIOLOGIA: Meccanismi dell’evoluzione e origini della diversità – Pearson Italia
II - Ferraguti e Castellacci – EVOLUZIONE. MODELLI E PROCESSI - Pearson Italia
III - Documents provided by the teacher (slides and other)

IV - CAMPBELL BIOLOGY by Jane Reece, Lisa Urry, Michael Cain, Steven Wasserman, Peter Minorsky, Robert Jackson - Pearson Education

Open in PDF format Versione in italiano