Marine Vertebrates

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Describe the characteristics of chordates and marine vertebrates.
• Teamworking and reflective practice
• Identify the main marine vertebrate taxa.
• Understanding how physiology and functional anatomy are shaped by constraints imposed by the physical and chemical nature of the external environment. Recognise how adaptations occur within that constraint space. Examples primarily from fishes
• Assembling scientific data into modern multi-media type presentations combining text, images and video into a coherent whole
• Determine the ecology including migration patterns and behaviour of marine vertebrates.

Topics will include:

• Introduction and the characteristics and faunal affinities of marine vertebrates
• Fish: taxonomy, ecology, reproduction and behaviour of agnathans, elasmobranchs and teleosts
• Reptiles: taxonomy and characteristics, ecology reproduction of turtles, crocodiles and aligators, iguanas and sea snakes
• Birds: origin and structure, ecological adaptations of wading, oceanic and flightless birds.
• Mammals: characteristics and ecology including behaviour of carnivores including pinnipeds, mustelids and polar bear, dolphins and whales and sirenians.

Formal lectures and supporting online resurces: will provide an introduction to the theory underlying the characteristics and faunal affinities of marine vertebrates. Topics covered will include fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.

All lesson content is additionally supplied as a stand-alone e-course via Blackboard

A wide range of support is available for those students who have further or specific learning and teaching needs.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.