|
|
|
|
|
|
Info |
|
Course Description:
Ichthyology encompasses the study of fishes, including major
groups such as the jawless, cartilaginous and bony fishes. Lecture
material will include the systematics, physiology, behavior, ecology
and evolution of this diverse group of vertebrates. Laboratory
work will center on identification of field collected specimens
in order to become familiar with the major fish families of the
Chesapeake region. Lab work will also include some investigations
of the anatomy of fishes as well as regional aquaculture, fisheries,
and fisheries management issues. The class will visit the Baltimore
Aquarium, and an overnight trip to the University of Delaware
College of Marine Studies in Lewes, DE will be made. The students
will be responsible for paying for their own meals on the trip
to Lewes. Prerequisite: BIO 112 and one 200 level biology course.
Goal: The goal of Ichthyology is to familiarize the students with the major families of fishes found in the Chesapeake region and to provide an understanding of the fundamental anatomy, physiology, behavior and ecology of fishes.
Course Objectives:
Communication: Class and individual communications will be sent via Blitz-mail and students are expected to check Blitz-mail daily. I am easier to reach by Blitz-mail than by phone.
Lecture:
Lab:
Textbooks:
On reserve: E.O. Murdy, R.S. Birdsong, & J.A. Musick, "Fishes of Chesapeake Bay"
Grading Policy: There will be 3 lecture exams. The dates of these exams and the material covered on each are listed on the lecture syllabus. The final exam will be 50% new material and 50% cumulative material. Your course grade will be determined from 3 exams, a cumulative final exam, a projects grade, and a laboratory grade.
Exams must be taken at their scheduled times (see Attendance Policy for details). Make-up exams must be taken within one week of the missed exam and will only be given if there is a valid, documented excuse (extreme illness accompanied by a physician's note). If you know that you have a conflict with a scheduled exam, the instructor must be notified in advance.
Failure to receive a passing grade (60 or greater) on at least one of the four exams will result in failure of the class, regardless of quiz and laboratory grades.
The project grade will be based on two assignments. The first will be to construct a dichotomous key for a limited pool of species. The second will be a report on an assigned species of fish. This report will include a brief natural history of the fish as well as the taxonomy from kingdom down to species. In addition, the report will include the fisheries catch data from commercial fisheries in the Chesapeake Bay, and whether there is currently a fisheries management plan for the species. The fisheries data will be researched on the internet.
The lab grade will be based on brief data reports from in-lab experiences, quizzes, a collection of identification cards for all species in the lab collection and those collected during field trips, and a practical exam of fish identifications.
Honor code: The Honor Code policy of Washington College is supported in BIO 336 and will be enforced when necessary.
Attendance policy: Attendance at lecture is required and will be checked. More that three unexcused absences will result in a 10% reduction in the final course grade. Being late to class twice will qualify as one unexcused absence (thus eliminating one free absence). Any student on Academic or Continued Probation must abide by college policy and be present at ALL classes. Laboratory attendance is mandatory. If you know in advance that you cannot attend a given lab, contact the instructor during the preceding week, so that make-up work may be scheduled. Athletes must present in writing the dates of competitions which conflict with labs to their instructors no later that the second week of lab, so that make-up can be scheduled. Any lab work missed for valid, documented reasons must be made up as soon as possible. Unexcused absence from a lab, or missed work which is not made up will result in a loss of 10% from the final grade.
| Date | Topic | Chapter |
|
|
||
| Jan. 16 | What is a fish?, Fish Classifications | |
| Jan. 19 | Skeleton, Scales and Fins | |
| Jan. 21 | Muscles and Locomotion | |
| Jan. 23 | Respiration | |
| Jan. 26 | Nervous and Cardiac Systems | |
| Jan. 28 | Buoyancy and Thermal Regulation | |
| Jan. 30 | Hydromineral Balance | |
| Feb. 2 | Guest Lecture | |
| Feb. 4 | Feeding and Growth | |
| Feb. 6 | Sensory Systems (Guest Lecture) | |
| Feb. 9 | Exam 1 | |
|
|
||
| Feb. 11 | Systematics | |
| Feb. 13 | Evolution | |
| Feb. 16 | Agnatha and Chondrichthyes | |
| Feb. 18 | Primitive Fishes | |
| Feb. 20 | Teleost Offshoots | |
| Feb. 23 | Acanthopterygi | |
| Feb. 25 | Cont. | |
|
|
||
| Feb. 27 | Freshwater Zoogeography | |
| Mar. 2 | Marine Zoogeography | |
| Mar. 4 | Exam 2 | |
| Mar. 6 | Freshwater Habitats | |
| Mar. 9-13 | Spring Break - No Classes | |
| Mar. 16 | Estuaries | |
| Mar. 18 | Coastal and Epipelagic Habitats | |
| Mar. 20 | Tropical Reef Habitats, Arid Habitat | |
| Mar. 23 | Deepsea and Polar Regions | |
| Mar. 25 | Advising Day - No Class | |
|
|
||
| Mar. 27 | Fish as predators | |
| Mar. 30 | Fish as prey | |
| Apr. 1 | Cont. | |
| Apr. 3 | Fish Communication | |
| Apr. 6 | Interspecific and Intraspecific Relationships | |
| Apr. 8 | Exam 3 | |
| Apr. 10 | Lewes Trip | |
| Apr. 13 | Fish Reproductive Strategies | |
| Apr. 15 | Cont. | |
| Apr. 17 | Cycles of Activity | |
| Apr. 20 | Communities and Ecosystems | |
|
|
||
| Apr. 22 | Aquaculture | |
| Apr. 24 | Aquarium trip | |
| Apr. 27 | Fisheries Biology | |
| Apr. 29 | Fisheries Management/Conservation | |
| TBA | Final Exam (50% new material, 50% cumulative) |
Laboratory protocols will be provided on a week-by-week basis.
Bring to lab each week:
Laboratory Grade: The laboratory grade represents 25% of the final grade and will be determined from several assignments, including brief data reports from in-lab experiences, a collection of identification cards for all species in the lab collection and those collected during field trips, and a practical exam of fish identifications.
| Date | Laboratory Exercise |
| Jan. 20 | External morphology, use of a dichotomous key |
| Jan. 27 | Identification of unknown fish species |
| Feb. 3 | Internal anatomy of bony fishes and sharks |
| Feb. 10 | Internet examination of fisheries biology |
| Feb. 17 | Tour of aquaculture facilities |
| Feb. 24 | Fish systematics |
| Mar. 3 | Field trip to saltwater marsh habitat |
| Mar. 10 | Spring Break - No Lab. |
| Mar. 17 | Identification of specimens collected on field trip |
| Mar. 24 | Field trip to freshwater lake and stream habitats |
| Mar 31 | Advising day - No Lab |
| Apr. 3-4 | Weekend trip to Lewes, DE |
| Apr. 7 | Identification of specimens collected on field trip |
| Apr. 14 | Field trip on Chester River |
| Apr. 21 | Identification of specimens collected on field trip |
| Apr. 28 | Lab Practical Exam |