Vertebrate Paleontology

Objectives

Main objectives:

-to acquire advanced knowledge of paleontology and evolution of vertebrates, with emphasis on fish, reptiles, and mammals, including general competences under i) anatomy and osteology, ii) classification, systematics and taxonomy, iii) procedures and mechanisms of evolution .

Specific objectives:

- to acquire knowledge on the origin and evolution of the major vertebrate groups.

- to be able to understand and discuss concepts about vertebrate paleontology.

- to acquire knowledge about the vertebrate groups most common in Portugal: fish, crocodylomorphs, dinosaurs, and mammals.

General characterization

Code

10934

Credits

6.0

Responsible teacher

Octávio João Madeira Mateus

Hours

Weekly - 3

Total - 28

Teaching language

Português

Prerequisites

Formation course in biology or UC of last term

Bibliography

M. Telles ANTUNES & A. C. BALBINO (2010) – “Fósseis de Portugal”/ PALEONTOLOGIA. Editora Interciência, Rio de Janeiro, 3ª Edição, vol. 1, Cap. 32, pp. 633-657.Editor: Ismar de Souza Carvalho). PALEONTOLOGIA. Ed. Interciência.

M. J. Benton. 2004 Vertebrate Palaeontology, 3d ed., Blackwell, Oxford.

Carroll, R. L. (1988). Vertebrate Paleontology and Evolution. New York: W. H. Freeman and Company. pp. 1–698. ISBN 0-7167-1822-7.

Nesbitt, S.J. 2011. The Early Evolution of Archosaurs: Relationships and the Origin of Major Clades. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 352:1-292.

M. J. Benton (ed.), The Phylogeny and Classification of the Tetrapods, vol.1: Amphibians, Reptiles and Birds, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1988

Romer, A. S. (1956). Osteology of Reptiles. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. pp. 772. ISBN 089464985X.

Teaching method

Available soon

Evaluation method

Evaluation   Final grade = 70% FCT NOVA + 30% UÉvora 

Evaluation at FCT

  • 40%: Essay (Scientific article-style).

    • 1/2 in leading essay

    • 1/4 + 1/4 of the two secondary essays

  • 10%: Oral presentation (~4-5 min / ~4-5 slides) in the classroom

  • 20%: Tests / Exams 

  • 20%: Class exercises and short essays

  • 10% Fieldtrip report

Evaluation at UÉvora: essays and exercises 


Subject matter

Vertebrate Palaeontology: Vertebrate origins, evolution, systematics and characterization of the major vertebrate groups. Agnathans and fishes (Class Placodermi, Class Acanthodii, Class Chondrichthyes); Tetrapods and Amphibians; Reptiles (i) Archosaurs (dinosaurs, birds, crocodiles and pterosaurs) (ii) Mosasaurs (iii) Plesiosaurs; Mammals; Primates and hominids

Comparative Anatomy: skeleton, teeth, non-skeletal organs. 

Transition environments, examples and key adaptations: Conquest of the land environment, secondary aquatic adaptations, origin of active flight.

Programs

Programs where the course is taught: