Ateneo - UPO

The course introduces animal biodiversity, its conservation and the main anthropogenic impacts on ecosystems and species. It covers systematics, cladistics, rules of taxonomy, evolutionary processes and mechanisms of speciation. A substantial part of the course focuses on the main animal groups, with attention to the morphological, structural, ecological, phylogenetic and evolutionary features of Protozoa, Porifera, Cnidaria/Coelenterata, Platyhelminthes, Nematoda, Annelida, Mollusca, Arthropoda, Echinodermata and Chordata, as well as other groups useful for understanding animal evolution. Special attention will be paid to Italian fauna and to species of management or conservation interest. Laboratory activities include the observation and identification of specimens, also through stereomicroscopy and dichotomous keys. Subject to scheduling and organisational conditions, an educational visit to the Natural History Museum of Milan may be organised.

BOOK: Cleveland P. Hickman, Susan L. Keen, David J. Eisenhour, Allan Larson, Helen Lanson, Olimpia Coppellotti, Laura Guidolin (ed. 18- 2020) Diversità Animale. This book includes only the topic treated during the lessons. Biologia della conservazione. Primack Richard, Boitani Luigi. Zanichelli (2013) - Editore.Alternatively: Cleveland P. Hickman, Susan L. Keen, David J. Eisenhour, Allan Larson, Helen Lanson, Vincenzo Arizza, Olimpia Coppellotti, Laura Guidolin (2020) Zoologia. McGraw Hill, Milano. or

The course aims to provide students with the fundamental knowledge needed to understand animal diversity, the evolutionary and phylogenetic principles that regulate it, and the main implications for wildlife and natural heritage conservation. By the end of the course, students will be able to: 1) describe the main animal groups and recognise their diagnostic, morphological and ecological traits; 2) interpret animal biodiversity from an evolutionary, phylogenetic and functional perspective; 3) use basic concepts and tools of systematics and taxonomy; 4) connect zoological knowledge to management and conservation issues, with particular attention to Italian fauna.
The course also provides preparatory knowledge for subsequent courses concerning animals, such as ethology and applied zoology. Lecture-based teaching (DE): 36 hours; interactive/laboratory teaching (DI): 12 hours.

Basic knowledge of general biology is required, with particular reference to cell structure and function, principles of genetics and evolution, organisation of living organisms and elements of ecology. This knowledge is necessary to understand classification, morphology, phylogeny and the ecological role of the main animal groups.

The course includes theoretical lectures with presentations, images, phylogenetic diagrams and multimedia materials on animals; guided classroom discussions; possible seminars by experts on specific topics; practical laboratory activities on protozoa, molluscs, arthropods, fish, birds and mammals; stereomicroscope observations and the use of dichotomous keys for specimen identification. If possible, a visit to the Natural History Museum will be included.
The DIR platform will be used to provide presentations, supplementary materials and study instructions. Teaching methods are designed to connect theoretical knowledge, direct observation, taxon identification, and evolutionary and conservation-oriented interpretation of animal biodiversity.

The presentations utilized by the teacher during the lesson will be uploaded in the DIR section. The teacher will be available after class hours or by appointment. The teacher only replies to e-mails from the domain name.surname@uniupo.it.

Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request
specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse
e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-
students-physical-or-learning-disabilities
Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted
the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination
modalities, concerning academic aspects.

The final examination consists of a single written test on the Moodle platform, aimed at assessing the acquisition of theoretical knowledge and the ability to apply it to the interpretation of animal biodiversity. The test covers the entire course programme, including the topics discussed during lectures, laboratory activities, the materials available on DIR, and the reference textbooks.The test consists of 32 questions, to be completed in 40 minutes. Each question is worth 1 point. Questions may include multiple choice, true/false, gap-filling, ordering, and drag-and-drop items. The questions cover classification, taxonomy, speciation, systematics and phylogeny, the main animal groups, morphological, structural and ecological aspects, animal biodiversity and conservation, with particular attention to Italian fauna and to the examples discussed during the course. Some questions may require the interpretation of images, diagrams, or morphological data useful for zoological recognition and classification.The final mark is expressed out of 30. The examination is passed with a mark of 18/30 or higher. A sufficient mark requires knowledge of the fundamental concepts and the correct use of basic zoological terminology. Higher marks are awarded when students demonstrate a more thorough and integrated knowledge of the topics, the ability to connect morphological, functional, evolutionary and conservation-related aspects, and the ability to correctly interpret data, images, or diagnostic characters relating to the animal groups covered in the course.

The course includes an introduction to biodiversity and its conservation, systematics, cladistics and taxonomy rules, as well as to the mechanisms of speciation. We will learn the techniques to construct and visualize the relations between species through phylogenetic trees. Later, a series of lectures dedicated to the main animal groups will follow. Students will receive information on the morphological-structural and ecological characteristics of Protozoa and the most widespread invertebrate groups (Porifera, Coelenterates, Platyhelminthes, Nematodes, Annelids, Molluscs, Arthropods), as well as some minor groups of importance for evolution. Students will receive information on the morphological-structural and ecological characteristics of Deutherostomes: Echinoderms (Echinoidea, Asteroidea, Ophiuroidea, Crinoidea, Holoturoidea) and Chordata (the notochord, general characteristics and main groups, Urochordates and Cephalochordates). The five classes of Vertebrates (fishes, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds) will be studied in detail, illustrating for each group the species of greatest management or conservation interest, with particular regard to Italian taxa. Special attention will be paid to the phylogenetic and evolutionary aspects of Zoology. In the laboratory will be examined in practice specimens of Italian molluscs, arthropods and birds, learning the use of dichotomous keys.

Knowledge and understanding: By the end of the course, students will know the fundamental principles of animal biodiversity, systematics, taxonomy, cladistics, speciation and evolution. They will also know the main animal groups, with particular reference to diagnostic characters, morphological organisation, ecological aspects, phylogenetic relationships and Italian fauna species of management or conservation interest. Applied knowledge and understanding skills: knowing how to build a phylogenetic tree starting from DNA sequences, knowing how to use the stereo microscope for the observation of small invertebrates, know how to use the field guides for the identification of species in nature or in museum collections; ability to interpret morphological data collected directly for the purposes of zoological classification. Autonomy of judgment: ability to critically analyze the anatomical differences related to the form or function in the various animal taxonomic groups, autonomy of judgment in the evaluation of morphological data obtained from the study of the species in the laboratory or in the field. Communication skills: perfecting the disciplinary lexicon in zoology, as well as describing phenomena and problems related to animals in a clear and concise manner. Ability to relate on the topics presented during the course with an appropriate scientific language, in written form. Learning skills: acquisition of the ability to deepen critically and independently update the skills acquired, through reading texts and educational material. Ability to use the teaching material for a critical and reasoned study.