Teaching directory
Course 2024-2025

Animal diversity and evolution [SBIOB126]

  • 5 credits
  • 30h+24h
  • 2nd quarter
Language of instruction: French / Français

Learning outcomes

This course gives a rigorous and most complete vision of the animal kingdom. The approach followed is evolutionary and comparative.

Objectives

- provide an overview of the animal kingdom - compare the structures and functions of the major zoological groups - understand the basis of evolution and phylogenetic relationships between zoological groups - understand the life cycles of the main pests - understanding the ontogeny of a vertebrate

Content

The main structures and functions of the major animal groups will be seen and compared with each other. Students should be able to answer questions such as: what is a diploblastic/triploblastic, acoelomate/pseudocoelomate/coelomate, protostomian/deuterostomian, radial symmetry/bilateral symmetry, what is a chordate, splanchnocranium/neurocranium, basic structures of the vertebrate nervous system, embryology of an amphibian, etc. Numerous examples will be taken from among the parasitic organisms.


Teaching methods

The theoretical course consists of an ex-cathedra lecture given by the teacher in an audience. The course is also fully accessible in the form of commented and recorded powerpoint presentations, available throughout the year. A discussion forum allows students to ask questions and debate issues. Additional resources, whether multimedia or scientific articles, are available to complement the learning process. Exercises are also offered (MCQ exercises, etc.). Practical work allows the student to complete the theoretical courses through microscopic observations and dissections.

Evaluations

The theory exam is in the form of a MCQ. Sample questions are seen during the theory course. There are 30 questions, each with 5 propositions of which only one is correct. The student has 90 minutes in total. Three scales are applied: 8 questions at scale +6 / 0 / -3; 14 at scale +4 / 0 / -2; 8 at scale +2 / 0 / -1. The practical exam is an oral exam. The student is confronted with situations seen during the year (dissection, microscopic section, identification of organisms). They account for 35% of the final grade. The student repeating the course may be exempted from the practical exercises if he/she has obtained a mark of at least 10/20 in the practical examination. No partial exemption from the theory course is granted (the student having a mark lower than 10/20 for the UE, but having a mark of 10/20 in the theory exam will have to repeat the theory exam).

Recommended readings

- Campbell and Rice. Biology. 7th edition, Pearson. - Beaumont and Cassier. Animal biology. From protozoa to epithelial metazoa. Tome 1. Dunod. - Beaumont and Cassier. Animal biology. Les cordés: anatomie comparée des vertébrés. Dunod. - Ruppert and Barnes. Invertebrate zoology. Brooks Cole. - Lecointre and Le Guyader. Phylogenetic classification of living organisms. Belin.

Language of instruction

French / Français

Location for course

NAMUR

Organizer

Faculté des sciences
Rue de Bruxelles, 61
5000 NAMUR

Degree of Reference

Undergraduate Degree