Animal Biology and Systematics

General bases and fundamental principles of animal life: heterotrophy and motility.
Architecture of the animal body: Bauplan, symmetry, body cavity (origin and functions); modularity of body and organs, metamerism. Solitary and colonial organisms; life styles.
Functional biology: structural and functional correlations; adaptations; nutrition (feeding strategy and mechanisms); circulation and gas exchanges; homeostasis: excretion, osmoregulation, thermoregulation; support and movement: basic principles of locomotion; neural and endocrine coordination, hormones and pheromones; sensory receptors; principles of animal behaviour.
Gamic and agamic reproduction, sex and its biological significance; hermaphroditism and gonocorism; life cycles; parthenogenesis; embryonic development (early stages); post-embryonic development (direct and indirect); larvae and metamorphosis.
Omology versus analogy, radiation, convergence; concept of species; interspecific interactions (symbiosis and parasitism).
Approach to animal phylogeny: significance and importance of systematics; need of a natural classification; systematics, phylogeny and evolution; monophyletism and polyphyletism; principles and methods of systematics: cladistic, evolutionary, phenetic classification; taxonomy and molecular phylogeny.
Animal biodiversity: organization, distinctive features and phylogenetic relationships among the main animal groups, with particular reference to invertebrates:
Protozoans; evolution of pluricellularity and early methazoans; poriferans; cnidarians; ctenophores; acelomates: platyhelminthes; nemerteans; pseudocelomates; celomates; protostomes: molluscs; annelids; arthropods; lophophorates; lophotrocozoans and ecdysozoans; deuterostomes: echinoderms, chordates; vertebrates.
A comprehensive account of the significant diversity of structural and functional aspects of the main phyla is given in relation to their phylogeny and discussed in the light of modern theories of evolutionary biology.

Practical labs: The frontal lectures are complemented by a series of practical labs focused on the analysis of functional anatomy of some representative models of the main phyla. They consist of: microscopical observations of specimens, in vivo observations, dissections of model-animals. The practical labs are concluded by a guided tour at the Museum of Natural History of Milano which offers occasion for a deeper discussion on selected topics.

General bases and fundamental principles of animal life: heterotrophy and motility.
Architecture of the animal body: Bauplan, symmetry, body cavity (origin and functions); modularity of body and organs, metamerism. Solitary and colonial organisms; life styles.
Functional biology: structural and functional correlations; adaptations; nutrition (feeding strategy and mechanisms); circulation and gas exchanges; homeostasis: excretion, osmoregulation, thermoregulation; support and movement: basic principles of locomotion; neural and endocrine coordination, hormones and pheromones; sensory receptors; principles of animal behaviour.
Gamic and agamic reproduction, sex and its biological significance; hermaphroditism and gonocorism; life cycles; parthenogenesis; embryonic development (early stages); post-embryonic development (direct and indirect); larvae and metamorphosis.
Omology versus analogy, radiation, convergence; concept of species; interspecific interactions (symbiosis and parasitism).
Approach to animal phylogeny: significance and importance of systematics; need of a natural classification; systematics, phylogeny and evolution; monophyletism and polyphyletism; principles and methods of systematics: cladistic, evolutionary, phenetic classification; taxonomy and molecular phylogeny.
Animal biodiversity: organization, distinctive features and phylogenetic relationships among the main animal groups, with particular reference to invertebrates:
Protozoans; evolution of pluricellularity and early methazoans; poriferans; cnidarians; ctenophores; acelomates: platyhelminthes; nemerteans; pseudocelomates; celomates; protostomes: molluscs; annelids; arthropods; lophophorates; lophotrocozoans and ecdysozoans; deuterostomes: echinoderms, chordates; vertebrates.
A comprehensive account of the significant diversity of structural and functional aspects of the main phyla is given in relation to their phylogeny and discussed in the light of modern theories of evolutionary biology.

Practical labs: The frontal lectures are complemented by a series of practical labs focused on the analysis of functional anatomy of some representative models of the main phyla. They consist of: microscopical observations of specimens, in vivo observations, dissections of model-animals.