Bio/Geo 181 syllabus

P A L E O N T O L O G Y
Bio/Geo 181 - - Fall, 2006 - - Bates College
Prof. Eli C. Minkoff, Ph.D.

TEXT: Colbert, Morales, and Minkoff. 2001. Colbert's Evolution of the Vertebrates, 5th ed. New York: Wiley

. C L A S S S C H E D U L E and R E A D I N G A S S I G N M E N T S

DATES:	TOPICS AND READING ASSIGNMENTS:	Old #s
Sep. 7	1. The fossil record: stratigraphy, correlation by fossils, geologic time; taphonomy; lower chordates; cladistics (Ch. 1).	P1,3
Sep. 12	2. Vertebrate origins; class Agnatha (Chapter 2).	P12,13
Sep. 14	3. Classes Acanthodii & Placodermi (Chapter 3).	P14
Sep. 19	4. Sharklike fishes; fish classification; early Paleozoic faunas (Chs. 4, 7).	P15
Sep. 21	5. Bony fishes (Class Osteichthyes) (Chapter 5)	P16,17
Sep. 26	6. Sarcopterygii. Amphibian origins and evolution. (Ch. 6, 8).	P18
Sep. 28	FIRST EXAMINATION
Oct. 3	7. Late Paleozoic faunas. Primitive reptiles, skulls, diversity, turtles (Ch. 10, 9).	P19
Oct. 5	8. Lepidosaurs and aquatic reptiles (Chapters 11, 12).	P20
Oct. 10	9. Archosaurs incl. crocodiles, pterosaurs, early dinosaurs (Chapters 13,15).	P21,22
Oct. 12	10. More dinosaurs (incl. metabolism) (Chapter 14).	P23
Oct. 17	11. Mesozoic faunas & extinctions; Birds (Chapters 16, 17).	P24,25
Oct. 18-22	HAVE A NICE OCTOBER BREAK
Oct. 24	12. Synapsids; transition to mammals (Chapter 18).	P27,28
Oct. 26	13. Mesozoic mammals and their teeth. (Chapter 19).	P29
Oct. 31	14. Marsupials and zoogeography (Chapter 20).	P30
Nov. 2	SECOND EXAMINATION
Nov. 7	15. Early placentals, including Insectivora, Edentata, etc. (Chapters 21, 22).	P31
Nov. 9	16. Primates and their relatives (Chapter 23).	P32,33
Nov. 14	17. More primates. Rodents & rabbits (Chapter 24). Scientific literature assignment DUE	P34
Nov. 16	18. Creodonts and Carnivora (Chapter 25).	P35
Nov. 18-26	HAVE A NICE THANKSGIVING BREAK
Nov. 28	19. Early ungulates (Condylarthra, etc.); S.A. orders; phylogeny, systematics, zoogeography I (Ch. 27, 29).	P36
Nov. 30	20. Artiodactyls and cetaceans (Chapters 28, 26).	P37
Dec. 5	21. Perissodactyls (Chapter 30).	P38
Dec. 7	22. Paenungulata; zoogeography II (Chapters 31, 32).	P39

ADDITIONAL COURSE MATTERS:

Exams from past years will be on reserve in Ladd Library.
The final exam will only cover material that follows after the second hour exam; it is currently scheduled for Wednesday December 13 at 10:30 a.m.
Make-ups for missed exams are handled through the Dean of Students office. Students who miss an exam should therefore go to the Dean's office and speak to Mary Gravel. There is no penalty for exams made up within a week.
It is the student's responsibility to secure from a college official or health official the necessary documentation of any illness or injury, including documentation of its duration if the illness or injury is prolonged.
Except in cases of prolonged illness, exams over a week late will normally have 10 points deducted, those over 2 weeks late will have 25 points deducted, and those not made up within 3 weeks will receive a zero.
A written assignment based on a paper from the scientific literature will be due shortly after the second exam. Details will be announced in class.
I am available to help students as much as possible. Please come by to see me during office hours (rm. 409, all day Wednesdays), or send me e-mail (see next item).
To get in touch with Prof. Minkoff at any time, please send electronic mail to: <eminkoff> on the Bates network.
To send e-mail to the entire class, send it to fbige181a