BIOL 327 - Functional Anatomy of Mammals

4 Credit(s)

The course focuses on form-function relationships in extant mammals and related fossil forms. The course surveys the morphology of all the mammals with special emphasis on insectivores, carnivores, rodents, primates, and ungulates (mammals with hooves). The goal is to familiarize students with the diversity of form in mammals and to correlate that variation with differences in behavior and ecology. Particular attention is paid to the morphology of the musculoskeletal, digestive, and neurosensory systems in the context of locomotion and acquisition of food. The laboratory allows for detailed morphological examination of a rodent, a carnivore, and an ungulate herbivore, as well as field trips to examine mammals in the field and in captivity. Fulfills one organismal biology elective.
3 hours laboratory. 3 hours lecture.
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 262.