Lectures: Tuesday & Thursday. 10 AM - 10.50 AM

Lab:
Section 1: Tuesdays: 11.50 AM - 12.50 PM AND Thursdays: 1 PM - 2.50 PM

Section 2: Tuesdays: 1 PM - 2.50 PM, Thursdays: 3 PM - 4.50 PM.

Instructor: Dr. Anindo Choudhury
   Office: JMS 324
    Tel. 403-3527 (office)
   E-mail: anindo.choudhury@snc.edu
   AIM Screen Name: chowds64

Teaching Assistants: Justin Richter (Senior), J.P. Savaryn (Senior), John Tracey (Junior), Tess Patitucci (Junior), Tally Vethanayagamoni (Senior).

Recommended Lab Manual/Atlas:
Wischnitzer, S. 1993. Atlas and Dissection Guide for Comparative Anatomy. ISBN: 0716723743
Format: Paperback, 32pp, Publisher: W. H. Freeman Company, Edition Number: 5

Fishbeck, D.W. and Sebastiani, A. 2001. Comparative Anatomy, A Vertebrate Dissection Guide. Morton Publishing Company, 358 pp.

Additional reference materials: To be announced.

Note: There will be no textbook for this course.

General:
The name of the course describes the course content precisely. The key word is ‘comparative’.  It examines and discusses the trends and details of the major anatomical innovations that have accompanied and marked the radiation and diversification of vertebrates: animals with a backbone and a skull.  In a nutshell, this is a course about form and function. This course is not simply about plodding through the sequence of vertebrates and their anatomy, but understanding how the major anatomical characteristics of particular vertebrate groups originated from pre-existing structures and putting the origin of anatomical innovations in a phylogenetic context. Comparative biology caused a mini revolution in biology in the 1980s when the explanatory power of phylogenetic systematics was realized and put into practice. It changed the way we think about a particular structure and how that structure arose. Phylogenetics provided, and continues to provide, a conceptual framework for understanding the radiation of life forms on Earth but for the first time anatomical innovations began to make sense in a broader scheme of classification. No longer was the origin of the vertebrate jaw a huge mystery when comparative biology showed how plausibly gill arches could be modified to form them. The mystery of pharyngeal pouches in human embryos, or the parental care, nesting behavior and vocalizations of crocodiles to name only a few examples, are similarly no longer the big mysteries they once were. Comparative anatomy shows us how certain structures could have originated and possibly what selection pressures may have caused the possessors to survive and thrive, and even perhaps go extinct. 

The second major advance to the study of anatomy was the incorporation of the mechanistic explanations as to how a structure functions. The course will also touch on how structures function and why certain anatomical structures are associated with each other and how the parts relate to the functioning of the whole body. There is a reason why the limbs of extremely large and heavy animals such as elephants and giraffes ‘lock’ to keep the legs straight whereas many smaller, lighter, and more agile mammals such as cats and rodents prefer to ‘crouch’. This crouching position puts a tremendous physical strain on the limb and on the body. It’s based on very simple but fundamental laws of physics (in fact ALL anatomical actions have their fundamental basis in physics). Next time you are doing push-ups, try supporting your body with your arms bent at the elbows vs. straight with elbows locked. Ask yourself which is easier, and try and figure out why. The question then is why some mammals have a posture like that? What is the trade-off? Along the same lines of thinking, we will also come across examples of evolutionary constraints. Why do some structures persist and why are they retained? Ultimately, this course will provide you with a better understanding how form is related to function.

The over all objectives of this course are:
1. To enable you to compare and understand the key features of the anatomy of vertebrates.
2. To enable you to analyze the major trends in the changes of vertebrates over time.
3. To develop depth of knowledge and more importantly, understanding.
4. To develop your hands-on skills in the laboratory as preparation for future careers.
5. To enable you to make informed decisions about the living world around us.

Lectures:
There are essentially two ways of studying vertebrate anatomy: by group or class of vertebrate or by anatomical organ systems. In the lectures, I will begin with a brief introduction to the vertebrates and their diversity, but then I will use the latter approach. Why? Because the key to this course is the word ‘comparative’. There will be a close correspondence between the lab material for any given week and the lectures for that period. There will be no prescribed textbook for the course. The two lab manuals/atlases and the notes you take in class will, together, be your primary resource. I will also assign additional readings from time to time.

Labs
In the labs, we will study the anatomy of representative animals together, which will allow direct comparisons. You will be supplied with preserved specimens of four major vertebrate clades: the lamprey (a basal vertebrate), the shark (a fish), the mudpuppy (an amphibian) and the cat (a mammal).  The lamprey serves to "root" the study of comparative anatomy in the phylogenetic context. The main emphasis will be on the shark, mudpuppy and the cat. The labs are designed to focus on recognizing structure, its anatomical relationships and its functional aspects. You will be expected to know the details of the anatomy (external and internal) of the vertebrates you study in the lab. Bring a note book (for notes & sketches).

Exams
There will 3 (THREE) lecture exams and 3 (THREE) lab exams during the semester AND one final exam, which will be a combination of lab and lecture material.


Point Distributuon
Three lecture exams (50 pt. each) =  150 pt.
Final exam (Lab + Lecture)=           100 pt.
Three lab exams (100 pt.) =            300 pt.
Four lab assignments (50 pt each) = 200 pt.
Main paper =                                100 pt.
   
Grading Scheme:
A:          91 – 100%                
AB:        85 - 90%
B:          80 – 84%
BC:        75 – 79%
C           70 – 74%
CD:        65- 69%
D:          60 - 64%   

Attendance
I expect 100% attendance and 100% commitment to this course.  Absences have to be justified. The penalty for missing class without sufficient reason or without advance notification (& with sufficient cause): 1% of lecture or lab grade for each lecture or lab missed. Some examples of sufficient reason: Illness, accident, injury, death in the family, medical emergency, weather related delays, officially scheduled SNC varsity athlectic training and sport meets.
Some examples of insufficient reason: Social functions,  sorority, fraternity or social group related business, hunting, fishing, appeals to "tradition" and inability to recover from such "traditions", 'not feeling well' because of hangovers, unofficial sporting events, inability or unwillingness to get back on time from a vacation.

Office Hours (and reaching me)
My regular office hours are 10 AM - 11 AM on Mondays, and 10 AM – 11 AM on Fridays.   If you have time conflicts, feel free to make an appointment. I am fully accessible by e-mail or AOL Instant Messenger. I am usually in my office (JMS 324) or lab (JMS 319 or 330) in the evenings and on weekends as well. Drop by and catch me when you can.

Required Tools
Dissecting kit. Gloves will be supplied.
 
Laboratory Topics and Schedule

Date                    Topic

AUG 28 / 31       External Morphology, The Tegument

SEP 5 / 7            Muscles

SEP 12/15           Muscles

SEP 19/21           Skeletal System

SEP 26/28          Skeletal System

OCT 3                 Lab Exam 1. 

OCT 10/12          Visceral Anatomy

OCT 17/19          Digestive system

OCT 24/26        Circulatory System. 

OCT 31/NOV 2  Circulatory System.

NOV 7/9           NOV 7: No classes. NOV 9:  Lab Exam 2

NOV 14/16        Reproductive System.

NOV 21             Reproductive System

NOV 28/ 30     Nervous System

DEC 5/7          Nervous System

Finals Week:    Lab Exam 3


Schedule For Lecture Exams

Lecture Exam 1: September 11
Lecture Exam 2: October 16
Lecture Exam 3: November 13
Final Lecture + Lab  Exam: TBA. Check SNC time-table.

Major Paper: Due Dec. 3.