General Zoology

Full course description

Animals are everywhere, on land, in water and in the air. They comprise an extremely diverse kingdom, with all species being a mixture of shared and unique biological characteristics. These characteristics are a product of evolutionary history and adaptation to particular features of the abiotic and biotic environment. In this course you will focus on the major groups within the animal kingdom, what defines          them, how they are organised and how they are related to each other; you will also examine the specific adaptations of certain animals in more depth. The question “What is an animal?” will be considered as will the issue of how animals are grouped and related to each other. This will be done in the context of the major phyla, their defining morphological, anatomical and physiological features and the sorts of adaptations and behaviours that they exhibit. You will also examine certain adaptations such as bright colouration, feeding or parental care in greater depth, using particular animal groups as a source of examples.