ECTS
ECTS Course Catalogue
Course details
Course code: BBS10055f12Semester: 2012/2013 summer
Name: Arachnology
Major: Biology
Study Type: first cycle
Course type: optional
Study Semester: 4
ECTS points: 2
Hours (Lectures / Tutorials / Other): 15 / 15 / 0
Lecturer: dr Joanna Mąkol
Language of instruction: Polish
Learning outcomes: After completing the course the students will be familiar with the problems applying to systematics, morphology, biology, ecology, distribution, phylogeny, origin and importance of arachnids with special attention paid to the behavioural patterns connected with feeding, reproduction and defence. The practical outcomes of the course concern the skill of identification of the members of particular taxa, and use of research techniques (analysis of characters under light microscope and scanning electron microscope, construction of identification keys, description formula of new taxa).
Competences: The acquired knowledge will enable students to distinguish arachnid taxa at family/genus level (including taxa of medical and economic importance). Students will be able to apply the methods of collecting, rearing, preserving and mounting specimens representing different invertebrate taxa, to carry out the courses related to venomous and poisonous animals and to be employed in invertebrate sections of zoological gardens.
Prerequisites: Invertebrate zoology I and II
Course content: Arachnids and their kins. Origin of arachnids. Morphology. Anatomy and physiology. Reproduction and embriogenesis. Sexual behaviour. Life cycles. Foraging strategies. Evolution o defence mechanisms. Systematics. Zoogeography. Importance (venomous, poisonous and parasitic arachnids). Amateur breeding of arachnids
Recommended literature: Barnes, R. S. K., Calow, P., Olive, P. J. W. (eds). 1993. The invertebrates, a new synthesis, (2nd ed.), Blackwell Science. Harrison F.W., Foelix R.F. (eds). 1999. Microscopic anatomy of Invertebrates. Vol. 8C. Chelicerate Arthropoda, Willey-Liss. Foelix, R. F. 1996. Biology of Spiders. 2nd ed. Oxford University Press. Krantz J. 1978. A manual of Acarology, Oregon State Univ., Corvallis. Levi, H. W., Levi, L. R., Zim, H. S. 2001. Spiders and Their Kin (Golden Guide) St. Martin\'s Press. Deryło A. (ed.). 2002. Parazytologia i akaroentomologia medyczna. PWN Warszawa. Hillyard, P. 2007. The Private Life of Spiders. New Holland Publishers. Hillyard, P. 1994. The Book of the Spider. From arachnophobia to the love of spiders. Pimlico edition. Weygoldt, P. 2000. Whip Spiders (Chelicerata: Amblypygi) Their Biology, Morphology and Systematics. Apollo Books, 163 pp. Pinto-da-Rocha, R., Machado, G. and Giribet, G. (eds). 2007. Harvestmen. The Biology of Opiliones. Harvard University Press.
Assessment methods: obligatory grade after semester (theory, practical skill of preparation and identification); knowledge required for passing: at least 60%.
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