Vertebrate Zoology Bio 311/313 Course Description
Fall 2011
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Instructor: Randy D. Jennings 137 HH 538-6519
email: jenningsr@wnmu.edu
Office Hours: MWF 1000-1050 h, or by appointment
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Textbook: Pough, F. H., C. M. Janis, and J. B. Heiser. 2009. Vertebrate Life, 8th Edition. Prentice-Hall,
Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. 688 pp + indeces.
Readings: Major readings from the text are listed on the lecture syllabus. Note that there is an extensive
glossary (p. G-1 at end of text), geologic time scale (inside front cover), and an extensive subject index
(p. SI-1 also at end of text). These are provided because they are frequently useful!!
Prerequisites: Animal Form, Function, & Diversity (BIOL 204/205) or instructor's approval. Lab must be
taken concurrently.
Content & Goals: This course will review the global diversity of the vertebrates. The course will emphasize
evolutionary trends among classes (major groups) of vertebrates in anatomy and correlated changes in
physiology, behavior and life history. Upon completion of this course students should be familiar with
all the major groups of vertebrates. Students should also understand the evolutionary history of major
groups, how the different groups are interrelated, the ecology of those groups, and how their anatomy
and morphology is related to their evolutionary history and ecology.
Special Needs Students: Students with disabilities in need of accommodation should register with the
Special Needs Office (JUANCB 210, Ext. 6498) at the beginning of the semester. With student
permission, that office will notify instructors of any special equipment or services a student requires.
Grading: There will be 450 possible points assigned in lecture (detailed below). Letter grades will be
assigned following a standard 90%, 80%, 70%, ... scale.
3 mid-term exams @ 100 pts. each
1 final exam (cumulative)
300 pts.
150 pts.
450 pts.
Vertebrate Zoology Bio 311 Tentative Lecture Syllabus
Fall 2011
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Week of
AUG 19
SEP
OCT
26
Early Jawless Vertebrates
(Chap. 3 & 4)
02
Chondrichthyes
(Chap. 5)
09
Osteichthyes/Actinopterygii
(Chap. 6 & 7, 1st exam) No class 5 Sept
16
Osteichthyes / Actinopterygii
(Chap. 6)
23
Osteichthyes Sarcopterygii, Evolution of Amphibia
(Chap. 8, & 9)
30
Amphibia (3)
(Chap. 10)
07
Amphibia (2), Evolution of Synapsida & Sauropsida
(Chap. 9, 11, 12, & 13, 2nd exam)
14
Turtles and Lepidosaurs
(Chap. 12 ,13, & 14)
21
Archosauria
(Chap. 15 & 16)
28
Archosauria
(Chap. 15 & 16)
NOV 04
DEC
Overview, Taxonomy/Species, & Invertebrate Ancestors
(Chap. 1 & 2)
Evolution of Aves (1) (Chap. 17 & 22, 3rd exam)
11
Aves (3)
(Chap. 17)
18
Thanksgiving Recess, No classes
25
Evolution of Mammalia (3)
(Chap. 18, 19, 20, 21, & 22)
02
Mammalia (3)
(Chap. 18, 19, 20, 21, & 22)
09
Finals Week
Vertebrate Zoology Lab Bio 313 Syllabus
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Instructor: Randy D. Jennings 103 HH 538-6519
Office Hours: M W 1300-1430 h, F 1100-1150 h
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Week of
AUG 19
26
Overview, Keys
Agnatha, Chondrichthyes
SEP 02
Osteichthyes / Actinopterygii
09
Osteichthyes / Actinopterygii
16
Open
23
Amphibia
30
Amphibia
OCT 07
QUIZ
MID-TERM LAB PRACTICAL
14
Reptilia
21
Reptilia
28
Aves
NOV 04
Aves
QUIZ
11
Mammalia
18
FALL BREAK
25
Mammalia
DEC 02
09
QUIZ
QUIZ
FINAL LAB PRACTICAL
FINALS WEEK
Grading: There will be 200 possible points (detailed below). Letter grades will be assigned following a
standard 90%, 80%, 70%, ... scale.
6 quizes @ 20 pts. each
1 mid-term practical
1 final practical
(comprehensive)
120 pts.
100 pts.
100 pts.
320 pts.
Disability Services at WNMU: Services for students with disabilities are provided through the Academic
Support Center’s Disability Support Services Office in the Juan Chacon Building, Room 220. Some
examples of the assistance provided are: audio materials for the blind or dyslexic, note takers, readers,
campus guides, audio recorders, a quiet testing area, and undergraduate academic tutors (available to all
WNMU students). In order to qualify for these services, documentation must be provided by certified health
care professionals. Disability Support Services forms are available in the Academic Support Center. The
Disability Support Services Office, in conjunction with the Academic Support Center, serves as Western
New Mexico University’s liaison for students with disabilities. The Academic Support Center’s Disability
Support Services Office can be contacted by phone at (575) 538-6400 or e-mail dss@wnmu.edu.
Communication Policy Statement regarding official email :WNMU’s policy requires that all official
communication be sent via Mustang Express. As a result, all emails related to your enrollment at WNMU
and class communication – including changes in assignments and grades – will be sent to your wnmu.edu
email address. It is very important that you access your Mustang Express e-mail periodically to check for
correspondence from the University. If you receive most of your email at a different address you can
forward your messages from Mustang Express to your other address.
Example: Martin Classmember was assigned a WNMU email address of classmemberm12@wnmu.edu but
Martin would rather receive his emails at his home email address of martinclass@yahoo.com
Follow direction at http://www.wnmu.edu/campusdocs/direction%20for%20forwarding%20email.htm
WNMU Policy on Email Passwords: WNMU requires that passwords for access to all of the protected
software, programs, and applications will be robust, including complexity in the number of characters
required, the combination of characters required, and the frequency in which passwords are required to be
changed. Minimum complexity shall include:



Passwords shall contain at least six (6) characters.
Passwords shall contain at least one capital (upper case) letter, and at least one symbol (numbers and
characters such as @ # $ % & *).
Passwords shall be changed at least every 90 days. (8/6/08)
Academic Integrity Policy and Procedures: Each student shall observe standards of honesty and integrity
in academic work as defined in the WNMU catalog. Violations of academic integrity include “any behavior
that misrepresents or falsifies a student’s knowledge, skills or ability with the goal of unjustified or
illegitimate evaluation or gain” (WNMU Faculty Handbook, 2008). Generally violations of the academic
integrity include cheating and plagiarism. Refer to the catalog pages 60-61 for definitions.
Penalties for infractions of academic integrity in this class are as follows:
Plagiarism : “the intentional or unintentional representation of another’s work as one’s own without proper
acknowledgement of the original author or creator of the work” (WNMU Faculty Handbook, 2008).
Zero points will be logged into grade roster for any such work.
Cheating: “using or attempting to use unauthorized materials…and unauthorized collaboration with others,
copying the work of another or any action that presents the work of others to misrepresent the student’s
knowledge” (WNMU Faculty Handbook, 2008).
Tests or quizzes will be confiscated and a zero entered in the course’s grade roster. Repeat
offenses will result in course disenrollment.
Class Procedures for Inclement Weather: Class cancelation will follow the University wide policy and
will be announced over local radio stations and/or emails.