Environmental Sciences

Animal classification and phylogeny. Introduction to the taxonomically sound morphological characters and phylogenetic reconstructions (cladistic methods and cluster analysis). Homology vs. analogy (the evo-devo perspective). Zoological nomenclature (elements). Taxonomic categories and taxa (the Linnean hierarchy). Taxonomic identification (tools and applications). Relationships between living organisms: intraspecific associations (parental care; differences between colonies and societies; eusociality in insects), interspecific associations (different levels of symbiosis; parasitism and parasitoidism), mimicry, aposematism. Geographical distribution of extant organisms, with particular reference to terrestrial habitats. Island biogeography (principles and applications). Major extinctions and "explosive" radiation events from the Precambrian (Ediacaran) to the Cenozoic, an overview. An overview of the body plan of arthropods, echinoderms, hemichordates and chordates. Body segments and tagmosis, skeleton, digestive system, circulation and gas exchange, excretion and osmoregulation, nervous system and sense organs, reproduction and development. The “Italian fauna” – Environments and their wildlife (overview on morphological and physiological adaptations): coasts, caves, forests, grasslands, freshwaters, the perennial snow and glaciers. The soil and interstitial fauna. Systematic section – The level of detail is generally that of class, with further insights into orders, as follows: Arthropods (overview of all classes), with insights into: 1. Arachnids – scorpions, spiders, pseudoscorpions, harvestmen and mites; 2. Insects – dragonflies, "orthopteroids", earwigs, true bugs, sucking lice, beetles, butterflies and moths, true flies and relatives, fleas, ants, bees and wasps. Echinoderms (overview of all classes), Hemichordates (overview of all classes), Chordates (overview of all subphyla and classes), with insights into Craniata: 1. extant amphibians (with detailed descriptions of frogs, newts and salamanders, with notes on the Italian fauna); 2. extant archosaurs (birds and crocodiles); 4. "reptiles" (with detailed descriptions of chelones, Squamata, with notes on the Italian fauna; 5. mammals (with notes on the groups represented in the Italian fauna). Practicals: Morphology, anatomy and taxonomic identification of the following taxa: - Arthropods: chelicerates, myriapods, crustaceans and insects. - Echinoderms, hemichordates, and chordates. Field expeditions: Collection and sorting of freshwater and terrestrial arthropods.

Basics of evolutionary biology. Natural selection. Concepts of species (biological, phylogenetic). Elements of vector geometry. Pairwise distance matrices.

Lecture slides will be provided in electronic form to the students through e-learning (Zoologia Ambientale). The topics treated in the course cannot be found in a single textbook. The basic notions are contained in a few chapters of the following volumes: Ballarin et al. 2023. Manuale di Zoologia. Piccin Editore (15 sett. 2023, in stampa) Brusca et al., 2016. Invertebrates, Third Edition. [In English] Argano et al., 2007. Zoologia. Evoluzione e adattamento. Monduzzi editore Argano et al., 2007. Zoologia. Diversità animale. Monduzzi editore Hickman et al., 2016. Zoologia, McGraw-Hill, (XVI° edizione) Pough. et al., 2001. Zoologia dei Vertebrati, Casa editrice Ambrosiana

The oral examination will cover the topics covered in the lectures, practical sessions and field trips. The examination will include a practical test aimed at assessing the student's identification skills through the examination of some museological specimens. The questions of the examination are designed to test the knowledge acquired during the course, topic by topic.