Marine Vertebrate Zoology

** Prerequisites:** Two semesters of general biology & accompanying labs.

A survey of marine fishes, reptiles, and mammals, with an in-depth comprehensive treatment of their systematics, zoogeography, and ecology. Field and laboratory work will stress the vertebrate fauna of the northern Gulf of Mexico and most of the course will be devoted to fishes.

Students completing this course will:

• have a basic understanding of the biology, ecology, physiology, and systematics of the various marine vertebrate taxa;
• gain experience in field and lab identification of members of the various vertebrate taxa; and
• gain experience in collecting various marine and island vertebrate taxa.