Herpetology

Catalog description

Amphibians and reptiles exhibit tremendous diversity in development, physiology, anatomy, behavior and ecology. As a result, amphibians and reptiles have served as model organisms for research in many different fields of biology. This course will cover many aspects of amphibian and reptile biology, including anatomy, evolution, geographical distribution, physiological adaptations to their environment, reproductive strategies, moisture-, temperature-, and food-relations, sensory mechanisms, predator-prey relationships, communication (vocal, chemical, behavioral), population biology, and the effects of venomous snake bite. The graduate version of the course requires a research project and term paper. This course satisfies the Organismal breadth requirement of the B.A. and B.S. in Biology. Offered as BIOL 305 and BIOL 405 . Prereq: Graduate student standing.