BIOLOGY 4429 MAMMALOGY Fall 2010
BIOLOGY 4429 – MAMMALOGY Fall 2010
Dr. Jon A. Baskin
Office: Kleberg Hall 116 -- Telephone: 361 593-3580 -- e-mail:
Baskin's home page: users.tamuk.edu/kfjab02/
OFFICE HOURS: 8-9 M; 10-11:30, 2-3 W, F; 9:30-11:30 T, Th, or by appointment. University duties, such as committee meetings, may prevent me from being in my office. I will also usually be available in the laboratory (KBE 123) M afternoon. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to me before or after class or phone me at the office for an appointment.
THE INTERNET:You should visit the course website regularly for further information, outlines, handouts, and links to other sites of interest users.tamuk.edu/kfjab02/Biology/Mammalogy/b4429_mammalogy__tamuk.htm
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Classification, distribution, life histories, economic importance, techniques of field study, method of collection, and preservation of mammals.
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this course is to acquaint students with the identification, systematics, life history, and adaptive strategies of the Mammalia and to expose them to field techniques used in their study. This will include understanding the following topics:
1. Characterization of Mammalogy and mammalian traits.
2. The evolutionary history of the various mammalian lineages
3. Characterization of the orders and families of the extant mammals.
4. Morphological adaptations of mammals for feeding, locomotion, reproduction, etc.
5. Physiological adaptations of mammals for homeostasis and reproduction.
6. Behavioral adaptations of mammals for feeding, homeostasis, reproduction, etc.
Examination 1 will assess objectives 1 and 2, and objectives 3-6 for monotremes, marsupials, and insectivorans. Exams 3 and 4 will assess objectives 3-6 for the orders shown in the schedule. The final will evaluate the ability to synthesize all the objectives. The laboratory practicals will assess the ability of the students to identify mammals
REQUIRED TEXT
· Vaughan, T. A., J. M. Ryan, and N. J. Czaplewski. 2010. Mammalogy. 5th edition Jones & Bartlett Publishers; ISBN-13: 9780763762995.
· Acceptable alternative: Feldhamer, G. A., L. C. Drickamer, S. H. Vessey, J. F. Merritt, and C. Crajewski. 2007. Mammalogy: adaptation, diversity, and ecology. 3rd edition. Johns Hopkins University Press.
Recommended Texts
· Schmidly, D. J. 2004. The Mammals of Texas. University of Texas Press.
· The Mammals of Texas - Online Edition - http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/
· Martin, R. E., Pine, R., and DeBlase, A. F. 2000. A Manual of Mammalogy, 3rd edition.
· Jones, J. K., Jr. and R. W. Manning. 1992. Illustrated key to skulls of genera of North American mammals. Texas Tech University Press, iv + 75 pp.
· Lawlor, T.E. 1979. Handbook to the orders and families of living mammals. Mad River Press, Eureka, CA
GRADING: Your grade will be determined in the following manner:
Exam 1 ...... 100 points
Exam 2 ...... 100 points
Exam 3 ...... 100 points
Final Exam ...... 200 points
Lab Midterm ...... 75 points
Lab Final ...... 75 points
Total 650 points
Please keep all of your tests and assignments, in case there is a question concerning your grade in the course. Grades will be awarded according to the regulations on page 62 of the 2008-2010 catalog. The last day to drop the course with an automatic grade of Q is October 29. After October 29, you must talk to me before dropping the course. The last day to drop the course with a Q if you have a passing grade is December 7. It is up to you to take care of all the necessary paperwork.
Lecture Exams: The THREE lecture exams and the FINAL exam will cover notes given in class and pertinent information from the textbook. Some notes will come from sources other than the text. The examinations will consist mainly of multiple choice and short answer questions, definitions, characterizations, lists, and annotated classifications. The first three exams will be over material covered during the exam period. The final lecture exam is COMPREHENSIVE, giving you the opportunity to synthesize various topics covered during the semester. My previous lecture exams 1, 2, and 3 are posted on my web page.
Laboratory Grade: The laboratory grade is based on the lab midterm and final. Identifying a ruminant artiodactyl (e.g., deer, antelope) or any other placental mammal as having more than three lower incisors (per side) will result in a grade of zero for that exam.
Lab Safety: You are required to complete the current version of on-line safety training. You will not be allowed into laboratory until you have completed the training. Follow the instructions on the course web page to access Blackboard.
MAKE UP POLICY There will be NO make-ups for missed lecture or laboratory exams. It takes a significant amount of time to set up a lab practical and we are only willing to do it one time per exam. If you miss one lecture examination, the percent score on the final will be substituted for the missed test. You will receive a zero for any additional missed exams. In the case of crises and emergencies (that you can document and that are considered a valid excuse by your instructor), talk to me (or phone me) before the exam and more flexible arrangements can be scheduled. BONUS: If you take all three lecture exams, you may substitute your lowest grade with the final exam grade, if the final exam grade is better.
Field Trips will be scheduled. They are optional. See below.
OTHER:
Up to 50 extra credit points may be available based on a field trip report analyzing the data collected. You will only be allowed to analyze data for field trips that you attended.
The student handbook is available online.
http://osa.tamuk.edu/studenthandbook http://osa.tamuk.edu/studenthandbook/1421143H.pdf or
http://www.tamuk.edu/sacs/newsacs/pdfs/Mastdoc/TAMUK/StuHndbk.pdf
Academic misconduct (See Student Handbook): Academic dishonesty includes giving, receiving, or using unauthorized aid on any academic work. This includes a person who has taken a test discussing what was on a test with a person who has not taken the test. Any student guilty of cheating or plagiarism will receive a grade of F.
Nonacademic misconduct (See Student Handbook): Turn off your cell phones. Talking or other disruptive behavior during lecture will not be tolerated. “The university respects the rights of instructors to teach and students to learn. Maintenance of these rights requires campus conditions that do not impede their exercise. Campus behavior that interferes with either 1) The instructor’s ability to conduct the class 2) The inability of other students to profit from the instructional program, or 3) Campus behavior that interferes with the rights of others will not be tolerated. An individual engaging in such disruptive behavior may be subject to disciplinary action. Such incidents will be adjudicated by the Dean of Students under nonacademic procedures.”
Sexual misconduct (See Student Handbook): “Sexual harassment of students and employers at Texas A&M University-Kingsville is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Any member of the university community violating this policy will be subject to disciplinary action.”
Students with disabilities, including learning disabilities, who wish to request accommodations in this class, should notify the Services for Students with Disabilities Office early in the semester so that appropriate arrangements can be made (see Student Handbook).
6 drop rule: If you enrolled Fall 2007 or later and you drop more than 6 courses during your undergraduate career, the state legislature has mandated that in most instances you will be punished. http://www.tamuk.edu/registrar/drop_policy/ provides information on Senate Bill 1231 that you should consult before you drop a course.
Tentative Lecture Schedule
Week of / Topic / Feldhamer,Chapter, [Pages] / Vaughan Chapter, [Pages]
Aug 25 / Introduction
Classification
Phylogeny relations
Biogeographic regions
Convergence / 3
3
3
3
5 / 1
1
1
[604-07, 623-24]
1, [611]
Aug 30 / Mammalian Characteristics / 4: [61, Table 4.2], 6: [96-104]
4: [62-66], figs. 7.1, 7.6 / 2
Sept 8 / Mammalian Origins / 4: [48-61] / 3
Sept 13 / Mammalian Classification
Monotremes
reproduction
Marsupials
locomotion
feeding
reproduction
The Marsupial Placental dichotomy / [214-217]
[218-222]
[208-209]
[222-240]
[111-114]
[119-21, 127-28, 132-33]
[203-04, ,206-07, 466]
[192-93] / 4
5
5, [389-391]
6
6
6
6, [402-403, 407]
6
Sept 20 / Eutherian Mammals
The Xenarthra: Cingulata & Pilosa
myrmecophagy
folivory;
reproduction
Pholidota
EXAM 1 / [215-217]
[302-309]
Fig. 5.6, [121]
[132-134]
[206]
[309-311]
/ 7
10: [148-157]
Fig 25-6
[157]
[154-155]
10: [157-159]
Sept 27 / Rodentia
feeding
water conservation
behavior
Lagomorpha / [348-365]
[130-132]
[178-182]
[436, 475-477]
[365-368] / 13: [198-233]
[104, 529-530]
[457-463]
[515-519, 569]
13: [234-238, 514]
Oct 4 / Dermoptera
gliding (glissant)
Scandentia / [253-254]
[113]
[252-253] / 11: [162-163]
11: [163-165]
Oct 11 / Primates
feeding, locomotion
conservation / 14
[Fig. 7.5, 133; 111-112]
[531, 543] / 12
12
[630-632]
Oct 18 / Insectivora:
Erinaceomorpha & Soricomorpha
Eimer's organs
Fossorial Adaptations
Insectivory
EXAM 2 /
12: [242-250]
[122, Fig 21.17]
Fig. 12.12; [112-113]
[121-123], Fig 7.2 /
14
Figs. 14-15, -16
Figs. 14-13, -14
Oct 25 / Chiroptera
flying (volant)
diet
adaptations to cold
reproduction / 13
[113-114]
[119-21, 124-26, 134-36]
[157, 171-175, 454-455]
[fig. 10.7; 204-205, 416] / 15
[258-265]
15
[432-440]
[407-410]
Nov 1 / Carnivora
feeding, locomotion
adaptations to cold
reproduction / 16
[123-27; 110-11, 115]
[172]
[Fig. 10.7, 197, 205-206] / 16
Fig. 16-7
[308]
[392-93, 408-09]
Nov 8 / Perissodactyla
feeding
Locomotion
conservation / [384-390]
[128-130]
[109-110]
[523, 537] / 17
[328-29]
Figs. 17-6, 17-7
.
Nov 15 / Artiodactyla
feeding
adaptations to heat
conservation / [390-402]
[127-130]
[186-188] / 18
[328-29]
[454-57]
22 / Cetacea
Conservation
Thanksgiving / 17, [455]
536, 542-543 / 19
29 / Afrotheria
Afrosoricida
Macroscelidea
Tubulidentata
EXAM 3 /
[243-245]
[250-252]
[311-312] /
[120-26]
[126-28]
[128-29]
Dec 6 / Proboscidea,
Hyracoidea
Sirenia / [370-5, 410, fig. 26.8, 537]
[375-378]
[378-382] / [133-39]
[142-44]
[139-142]
Dec 15 / Final Exam: 10:40 am
BIOLOGY 4429 FIELD TRIP SCHEDULE
Field trips are optional. Before participating, you are required to sign the waivers of liability and complete the exercise demonstrating that you are aware of and accept the potential dangers associated with this sort of activity.
Southmost Nature Conservancy and Brownsville Zoo: a Saturday and Sunday fieldtrip, October 16-17.
Kleberg County: Live trapping of rodents. We will be doing population estimates using the Lincoln-Peterson Method for capture/recapture. Traps will be set out Friday or Saturday evening and collected Saturday or Sunday Morning. TENTATIVE DATES: will be announced in class
Tentative Laboratory Schedule
DOWNLOAD AVAILABLE LABS FROM WEBSITE BEFORE CLASS
Week of / Topic / PagesAug 30 / Lab Safety
Sept 6 / LABOR DAY
Sept 13 / Skull and Skeleton download / M1: 6-1, 36-40.
Sept 20 / Dentition:download
Field Notes / M: 13-20.; 188-199.
Sept 27 / Orders & Families: monotremes, marsupials, xenarthrans, pholidotes
Download / M: 61-77, 103-108.
Oct 4 / Orders & Families: rodents, lagomorphs.Download / M: 138-161, 135-137.
Oct 11 / Orders & Families: dermopterans, tupaiids, primates. Download / M: 83-84, 94-102
Oct 18 / Orders & Families: insectivorans, chiropterans, Download / M: 78-82, 85-93.
Oct 25 / LAB EXAM 1
Nov 1 / Orders & Families: Carnivorans. Download
Texas Mammals: carnivorans / M: 109-120
S2: 137-210
Nov 8 / Orders & Families: ungulates, afrotheres. Download / M: 121-134, 162-179.
Nov 15 / Texas Mammals: opossums, armadillos, bats, insectivores, Download / S2: 38-137.
Nov 22 / Texas Mammals: rodents, rabbits. Download / S: 295-457
Nov 29 / Texas Mammals: ungulates. Download / S: 137-295
Dec 6 / LAB EXAM 2
1 Martin, Pine, DeBlase 2 Schmidly