Principles of Animal Biology

Catalog description

Prerequisites: BIOL 010 or BIOL 011 or equivalent high school biology course; Placement as determined by the college’s multiple measures assessment process or completion of a course taught at or above the level of intermediate algebra. Advisory: BIOL 043. This course, designed for biology majors, introduces the principles and concepts of animal biology with an emphasis on biodiversity, comparative biology, and animal conservation. Students have an opportunity to survey the major animal phyla and non-photosynthetic, single-celled eukaryotes, exploring their structures, functions, and life cycles in a comparative context. Core topics include evolution, taxonomy, and systematics, with attention to developmental patterns, morphology, physiology, phylogeny, and behavior. The course also examines mechanisms of evolutionary change, speciation, and the processes that generate and maintain the diversity of animal life.