MSCI 666 - Ichthyology

Fall, odd years (4) Hilton

Fishes form a large, diverse group of vertebrates that are culturally, economically, and scientifically important, and they offer much for the study of evolutionary biology. This course provides an intensive overview of all aspects of the evolution of fishes, with an emphasis on their morphology and systematic relationships. The lectures cover the diversity and evolutionary history of fossil and living fishes, and discuss the evidence for different hypotheses of their phylogenetic relationships; other topics include the biogeography, functional anatomy, physiology, and behavior of fishes. The mandatory lab section emphasizes dissection-based anatomical study and the global diversity of fishes, and includes some field sampling.