MAMMAL LAB SYLLABUS - 2013

Mammal Diversity – Lab Syllabus – 2013 (Lectures TuTh 12:30 – 1:50 in BAKER 145)

Sections: All Lab Sections to be held in Illick 238 Teaching Assistants: Sec 01 - M 5:00 – 8:00 Name - Elaina Burns Sec 02 - Tu 3:30 – 6:20 Name - Lindsey Scales Sec 03 - W 2:55 – 4:50 Sec 04 - Th 3:30 – 6:20

Goals:  to become familiar with the diversity, distinguishing characteristics and functional morphology of the Class Mammalia  to learn the distinguishing characteristics of each of the Orders of Mammals  to be able to identify and describe ecological characteristics of all mammals of NYS  to become familiar with some methods for studying mammals in the lab and the field  to develop a meaningful understanding of the conservation status of mammals

Required Books: Manual of Mammalogy (by Martin et al.) Mammals of North America (Kays & Wilson)

Schedule of Activities and Assignments .

Date Exercise Chapter in Lab Manual/Discussion Topics Week of January 14 - NO LAB THIS WEEK (Jan. 21, MLK Day, students in Monday’s lab attend section later in the week) Week of January 21 - Chapter 1 - Introduction; Mammal Orders of the World – MONOTREMATA TO MARSUPALIA (DIDELPHIMORPHIA) Week of January 28 - Chapter 2 – Skull; Orders SORICOMORPHA, ERINACEOMORPHA, AFROSORICIDA, DERMOPTERA, CHIROPTERA, SCANDENTIA & PRIMATES Week of February 4 - Ch 3 – Teeth 4 - Integument; LAGOMORPHA, RODENTIA, MACROSCELIDEA, TUBULINDENTATA, PILOSA, CINGULATA & PHOLIDOTA Week of February 11 - Ch 5 – Horns and Antlers, 6 - Post-cranial skeleton; PROBOSCIDEA, HYRACOIDEA, ARTIODACTYLA, PERISSODACTYLA Week of February 18 - CH 7 – Locomotion; Marine Mammals adaptations/taxonomy: CARNIVORA, CETACEA, SIRENIA Week of February 25 - Morphometrics, Systematics and Evolution; Preview Practical Week of March 4 - Practical 1 (Mammal World Orders and Exercises in Lab Manual) followed by Museums and specimen prep. ****Hand in Lab notebook****

March 10 – 17, Spring Break Holiday  ***************************** MAMMAL LAB SYLLABUS - 2013

Discussions: in addition to surveying the diversity of NYS mammals, the following labs will include discussions of reading material on biodiversity and conservation of mammals. Each week of discussion, write a one-paragraph summary and one question relevant to this week’s reading material. (15% lab grade) ------

***Each week’s readings are available on the course web***

D-1 Week of March 18 - Specimens Extinct and Endangered Mammals; Megafaunal Extinctions NYS mammal families – Didelphidae, Soricidae, Talpidae; Hand in written summary and question, discuss reading D-2 Week of March 25 – NYS Mammals: Vespertilionidae, Canidae, Ursidae, Procyonidae; Rediscovery, Introductions Video – US Endangered spp.; Hand in written summary and question, discuss reading D-3 Week of April 1 - NYS Mammals: Mustelidae, Mephitidae, Felidae, Cervidae; Borderlands and War Hand in written summary and question, discuss reading D-4 Week of April 8 - NYS Mammals: Sciuridae; Castoridae; Muridae (Murinae) Rewilding; Assisted Migration Cricetidae (Neotominae) Hand in written summary and question, discuss reading D-5 Week of April 15 - NYS Mammals: Cricetidae (Arvicolinae); Dipodidae; Climate; Case Study Erethizontidae, Leporidae; Philippines Mammals Hand in written summary and question, discuss reading, Practical Preview;

Week of April 22 - Practical 2 (Cumulative) – NYS Mammals, World Orders, (NO DISCUSSION, Conservation Biology, … JUST THE PRACTICAL) ***Hand in Lab Notebook***

Optional Field Trips: 1 – Snow tracking: Saturday or Sunday mornings; Date and Time TBA weather. 2 – Mammals and Zoos: Rosemont Gifford Zoo (Syracuse) – Diversity, Conservation and Behavior – April 27 – Saturday (9 am – 3 pm)

Grading: The Lab/Discussion portion of this course is worth 1/4 (25%) of your Grade for the lab part of the course. This will be apportioned as follows:

*****Attendance in Lab is Mandatory; unexcused absence  -5% final lab grade:  Practicals: each is worth 25% (total = 50% for two practicals) of your lab grade.  Notebook, checked every week. It should include thorough and neat notes from each lab, and from your discussions of reading assignments. Notebook grade is worth 25% of course grade.  Written Assignments for Discussions: 5 written assignments, including one for each discussion period. Each week of discussion, write a one-paragraph summary and one question relevant to this week’s reading material. (15% lab grade)  Participation in Discussions is worth 10% of your lab grade.