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

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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: