Program Overview

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ZOOLOGIA SISTEMATICA

Course Description

The course "ZOOLOGIA SISTEMATICA" is offered by the University of Genoa, with the code 84028, during the academic year 2025/2026. It is worth 5 CFU and is part of the first year of the SCIENZE AMBIENTALI E NATURALI 11914 (L-32 R) program in Genoa.

Course Details

• Sector Scientific Disciplinary: BIO/05
• Language: Italian
• Location: Genoa
• Period: 1st Semester
• Modules: This course is a module of "BIOLOGIA GENERALE ED ELEMENTI DI ZOOLOGIA"
• Teaching Material: Available on AULAWEB

Objectives and Contents

Objectives

The course aims to provide students with basic knowledge of animal biology, focusing on the fundamentals of zoological classification and the characteristics of major animal groups.

Detailed Objectives and Learning Outcomes

Through lectures, laboratory activities, and individual study, students will acquire knowledge of systematic zoology, including modern classification criteria and the study of major organism groups. They will learn to use correct scientific terminology and, through the museum collection, observe and dissect specimens to understand their anatomy.

Teaching Methods

The course consists of 32 hours of lectures and 16 hours of theoretical-practical laboratory activities. Students will study museum collections, observe microscopic preparations, and perform dissections of organisms. Laboratory exercises will be organized in attendance, divided into multiple shifts.

Program/Content

The course program includes the presentation and discussion of the following topics:

• The hierarchical structure of classification
• Rules of nomenclature
• Meaning of species
• Biological classification and phylogeny
• Taxonomy
• Systematics
• Characteristic taxonomic features
• Monophyly, polyphyly, paraphyly
• Methods of classification
• Phylogenetic systematics (cladistics)
• Parsimony method
• Basic concepts of traditional evolutionary systematics
• Characters that unite protostomes and deuterostomes
• Diblastic and triblastic animals
• Schema of the origin of the coelom

Texts/Bibliography

• Reference text: Hickman et al., Zoologia, McGraw Hill Education
• For further study:
  • Brusca R.C., Brusca G.J, Invertebrati, Zanichelli
  • F. Harvey Pough, C.M. Janis, J.B. Heiser, Zoologia dei Vertebrati, Zanichelli
• Images shown during lessons and exercises are available on Aula WEB.

Teachers and Commissions

• Teacher: Marco Bertolino
• Reception: By appointment with the teacher.
• Examination Commission:
  • Giorgio Bavestrello (President)
  • Marzia Bo
  • Marco Bertolino (Supplementary President)

Lessons

• Start of Lessons: Consult the detailed schedule at the following link.
• Lesson Schedule: Available on the EasyAcademy portal.

Exams

• Exam Method: Oral dissertation. Each candidate will also be asked to recognize an organism from the museum collection at the phylum and class level.
• Assessment Method: Details on exam preparation and the depth of each topic will be provided during lessons.

Other Information

• Attendance at lessons and exercises is highly recommended.