INFORMATION ON ESCI 463/663, ZOOL 486/686, Fall 1996
ADVANCED (VERTEBRATE) PALEONTOLOGY

Lectures: Tuesday and Thursday at 9:30-10:45 pm in Science Center 204

Textbook: Evolution of the Vertebrates, 4th ed., by Edwin H. Colbert and Michael Morales

Instructor: Dr. Timothy H. Heaton, Professor of Earth Sciences

Course description: This course covers the history of vertebrate life from its origin in the early Paleozoic Era through the major evolutionary transitions between vertebrate classes and important groups within those classes. The course also seeks to place historical events in the context of ancient continental configurations, climatic changes, and mass extinctions. The order of topics will follow the textbook closely as outlined on the class schedule, and students are expected to read the assigned chapters before coming to class. Some class time will also be devoted to vertebrate osteology using bones and handouts. There will also be a few internet assignments to familiarize students with important natural history museums and collections. Lastly, there will be field trips, probably one required and one optional.

Prerequisites: This course has no formal prerequisites, and all topics will be taught assuming no prior training. However, there is a considerable amount of both geological and biological material to be covered, so some background in historical geology and/or vertebrate biology will be helpful in reducing the number of terms and concepts to be learned.

Course requirements: There will be two hour exams and a final exam (partly comprehensive). Exams will consist of a variety of question types including some essays and lab-style questions. Exam questions will come from the lectures, text readings, and handouts. Make-up exams will be by prearrangement or emergency circumstances only. One term paper (in two drafts) is required of each student on a topic of his/her choice related to the course. More information concerning term papers, field trips, and assignments will be given out in class.

Grading: Grades will be calculated based on point totals according to the following scales:

Note: Scores will be posted after each exam in the Earth Sciences office window (Science Center 201) by abbreviated student identification number. If you wish not to have your scores posted in this manner, you must inform the instructor before the first exam.
VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY (ESCI 463/663, ZOOL 486/686), Fall 1996

Approximate Class Schedule

Thur. Sep. 05 Chapter 1 Fossilization, Geologic Time, the Origin of Vertebrates
Tues. Sep. 10 Chapter 2-3 Jawless Fishes, Origin of Jaws, Acanthodians, Placoderms
Thur. Sep. 12 Chapter 4 Cartilaginous Fishes (Sharks, etc.), Ray-fin Bony Fishes
Tues. Sep. 17 Chapter 5-6 Lobe-fin Bony Fishes, Origin of Amphibians, Early Faunas
Thur. Sep. 19 Chapter 7 Paleozoic Amphibians, Modern Amphibians
Tues. Sep. 24 Chapter 8 The Origin of Reptiles, Amniotic Egg, Reptile Classification
Thur. Sep. 26 Chapter 9-10 Mammal-like (Synapsid) Reptiles, Late Paleozoic Faunas
Tues. Oct. 01 Chapter 11 Beginning of the Mesozoic Era, Early Ruling Reptiles
Thur. Oct. 03 Chapter 12 Triumph of the Dinosaurs (Saurischians and Ornithischians)
Tues. Oct. 08 Hour Exam 1 (Chapters 1-12)
Thur. Oct. 10 Chapter 13 The Origin of Flight, Gliding Reptiles, Pterosaurs
Tues. Oct. 15 Chapter 14 The Origin and Development of Birds
Thur. Oct. 17 No class (Instructor gone to SVP meetings in NYC)
Tues. Oct. 22 Chapter 15 Aquatic Reptiles (Ichthyosaurs, Plesiosaurs, Mosasaurs, etc.)
Thur. Oct. 24 Chapter 16-17 Mesozoic Continents/Faunas/Extinctions, Surviving Reptiles
Tues. Oct. 29 Chapter 18 The Origin of Mammals, Mesozoic Mammals, Monotremes
Thur. Oct. 31 Chapter 19 Marsupial Mammals, Cenozoic Continental Movements
Tues. Nov. 05 Chapter 20-21 Early Placental Mammals, Insectivores, Bats, Early Giants
Thur. Nov. 07 Chapter 22 The Primates, Apes and Human Evolution
Tues. Nov. 12 Chapter 23 The Rodents and Lagomorphs (Rabbits, etc.)
Thur. Nov. 14 Hour Exam 2 (Chapters 13-23)
Tues. Nov. 19 Chapter 24 The Cetaceans (Whales, etc.)
Thur. Nov. 21 Chapter 25 The Creodonts and Carnivores
Tues. Nov. 26 Chapter 26-27 Ancient Hoofed Mammals, South American Ungulates, Term Paper first submissions due in class
Thur. Nov. 28 No class (Thanksgiving Day Holiday)
Tues. Dec. 03 Chapter 28 The Perissodactyls (Odd-toed Ungulates)
Thur. Dec. 05 Chapter 29 The Artiodactyls (Even-toed Ungulates)
Tues. Dec. 10 Chapter 30 The Proboscidians (Elephants, Mammoths, Mastodons, etc.)
Thur. Dec. 12 Chapter 31 Cenozoic Faunas, the Ice Age, Intercontinental Exchanges
Mon. Dec. 16 7:30-9:30 am Final Exam, Term Paper final submissions due
Timothy H. Heaton: E-mail, Home page, Phone (605) 677-6122, FAX (605) 677-6121