Marine Invertebrate Zoology

Catalog description

Students explore the broad diversity of structures and functions possessed by marine invertebrate animals. Special attention is given to the evolutionary relationships that unite invertebrate taxa, how each animal phylum accomplishes basic life processes, and the mechanisms that have led to variation in body plans. Students engage in comparative anatomy and investigate the reproductive patterns of ecologically important invertebrates. Students conduct hands-on manipulation, dissection, and illustration of marine invertebrates in the laboratory component, with several opportunities to interact with living specimens from local ecosystems and beyond. Multiple field trips provide opportunities to identify and observe animals in their natural habitats.