Udo Savalli

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BIO 385 — Comparative Invertebrate Zoology

Updated 15 January 2025

Textbook Cover
Lab Manual Cover

Course Information

Description: Characteristics, life cycles, adaptations, and evolution of invertebrate animals. Prerequisites: Bio 181 and Bio 182 with a C or better.

Current Sections:
Lecture: MWF 12:20-1:10, CLCC 113
Lab: F 2:00-4:45, CLCC 353

Texts: J.A. Pechenik 2015. Biology of the Invertebrates, 7th ed. McGraw-Hill.
U.M. Savalli 2025. Invertebrate Zoology A Laboratory Manual. (LAD Custom; available at ASU Bookstore)

The Instructor: Udo M. Savalli

Announcements & Upcoming

  • Feb 10 — Lecture Exam 1
  • Mar 10-14 — NO CLASS — SPRING BREAK
  • Mar 7 — Lab Practical 1
  • Mar 17 — Lecture Exam 2
  • Apr 2 — Field Sampling Setup During Lecture (attendance required)
  • Apr 6 — Last day to withdraw
  • Apr 14 — Lecture Exam 3
  • May 2 — Lab Practical 2
  • May 5 — Final Exam: 12:10 pm

Lecture Schedule
(Spring 2025)

Week of:
Topic:
Chapter:
Jan 13-17 —Introduction; Phylogenetic reconstruction1, 2
Jan 20-24 —No Class Jan 20
Animal body plans, repro & development
2, 24
Jan 27-31 —Support, movement & feeding3, 5
Feb 3-7 —Animal origins
Feb 10-14 —Exam 1, Feb 10
Sponges & placozoans
4
Feb 17-21 —Cnidarians, Ctenophores6-7
Feb 24-28 —Flatworms & Mesozoans8, 9, 22
Mar 3-7 —Rotifers, Lophophorates, etc.10, 18, 19
Mar 10-14 —Spring Break
Mar 17-21 —Exam 2, Mar 17
Annelids & Ribbon Worms
11, 13
Mar 24-28 —Molluscs12
Mar 31-Apr 4 —Nematodes & related pyla16-17
Apr 7-11 — Arthropods: Evolutionary Origins14-15
Apr 14-18 —Exam 3, Apr 14
Arthropods, continued
14
Apr 21-25 —Echinoderms20
Apr 28-May 2 —Hemichordates & Chordates21, 23
May 5 —Final Exam: 12:10 - 2:00

Lab Schedule
(Spring 2025)

Date:
Topic:
Lab Manual Exercise
Jan 17- Intro to microscopy & anatomy1-2, Appndx 1-2
24- Sponges; Animal Origins4-6
31- Cnidarians7
Feb 7- Flatworms, gastrotrichs8
14- Lophophorates & minor phyla9-11
21- Annelids12
28- Molluscs13
Mar 7- Lab Practical Exam 1
14- Spring Break
21- Gastropod Adaptations & Allometry14
28- Arthropods 115, 17-18, 20
Apr 4- Field Exercise: Arthropod Sampling21
11- Arthropods 215-16, 19
18- Nematodes, Hemichordates & Chordates22, 24
25- Echinoderms23
May 2- Lab Practical Exam 2

Lab Info:

Lab 1 — Intro: Anatomical Terminology & Microscopy (Jan 17)

Lab 2 — Sponges & Other Basal Animals (Jan 24)
Animal Origins
Poriferan Diversity
Basal Phyla

Lab 3 — Cnidarians (Jan 31)
Cnidarian Diversity

Lab 4 — Flatworms & Gastrotrichs (Feb 7)
Flatworm Diversity
Gastrotrichs

Lab 5 — Lophophorates, Ribbon Worms, etc. (Feb 14)
Lophophorate Diversity
Gnathiferan Diversity
Ribbon Worms

Lab 6 — Annelids (Feb 21)
Annelid Diversity

Lab 7 — Molluscs (Feb 28)
Mollusc Diversity
   Cephalopod Diversity

Lab 8 — Gastropod Adapatations & Allometry (Mar 21)
Gastropod Diversity

Lab 9 — Arthropods 1 (Mar 28)
Arthropod Diversity
   Arachnid Diversity
   Insect Diversity
   Insect Coloration

Lab 10 — Field Sampling (Apr 2, 4)

Lab 11 — Panarthropods (Apr 11)
Arthropod Relatives & Trilobites
Arthropod Diversity
   Crustacean Diversity

Lab 12 — Nematodes, Hemichordates & Chordates (Apr 18)
Nematodes & Relatives
Hemichordates
Chordate Diversity

Lab 13 — Echinoderms (Apr 25)
Echinoderm Diversity

Virtual Museum of Paleontology
See additional examples of invertebrate (and other) fossils from Museums around the country.

Downloads:
acrobat All handouts in PDF format; require free Acrobat Reader

General Handouts
Lecture Notes
Lab Worksheets & Handouts

Assignments
Exam Reviews
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