Biol 536 Ichthyology
Fall, 2001
Lecture syllabus
Aug 28 Introduction 1
Aug 30 Form
and movement 2
Sep 4 Respiration 3
Sep 6 Blood
and its circulation 4
Sep 11 Buoyancy and thermal
regulation 5
Sep 13 Hydromineral balance 6
Sep 18 Feeding, nutrition,
digestion and excretion 7
Sep 20 Growth 8
Sep 25 Reproduction 9
Sep 27 Sensory perception 10
Oct 2 No
lecture
Oct 4 Behavior
and communication 11
Oct 9 Fall
break, no class
Oct 11 Midterm
exam (100 pts)
Oct 16 Systematics 12
Oct 18 Evolution 13
Oct 23 Hagfishes and lampreys 14
Oct 25 Sharks, rays and chimaeras 15
Oct 30 Relict bony fishes 16
Nov 1 Teleost
fishes 17-24
Nov 6 Freshwater
zoogeography 18
Nov 8 Marine
zoogeography 19
Nov 13 Freshwater fish assemblages 27-30
Nov 15 Stream fishes as indicators
of stream quality
Nov 20 Marine fish assemblages, Term
paper due (100 pts) 31-36
Nov 22 Holiday, no class
Nov 27 Conservation and
Introductions 37
Nov 29 Freshwater fisheries
Dec 4 Marine
fisheries
Dec 6 Aquaculture
Dec 11 Final exam (4:30-7:15) (100pts)
Biol 536
Ichthyology
Goals of the course: To provide
information on the variety of extinct and living fishes in the freshwater and
marine environments of the world and their evolutionary relationships. Information
will be presented on anatomy, physiology, behavior and ecology of the fishes.
Some information will be given on fisheries and fish conservation and the use
of fishes in stream quality assessment.
The laboratory will be used to
support the lecture material and to teach methods of fish collection,
measurement, preservation, and identification. Identification of all local
freshwater, estuarine and coastal families and all local freshwater species is
required from memory.
Requirements of the course: (Lecture)
Attendance at lectures, reading of textbook chapters, completion of two written
lecture tests, and participation in class discussions. Completion of term
paper. (Laboratory) Participation in weekend class field trips and laboratory
exercises and completion of four fish identification tests.
The nature of the course
content: Indicated by the course syllabus, textbook, and the statements given
above.
Methods of evaluation: The command of the
lecture material will be assayed in two equal-value written exams (100 pts
each), composed mostly of essay questions, but possibly containing some short
answer questions or matching or multiple-choice questions. A literature
research paper with about 10 references
also counts for 100 pts. The performance on four fish identification tests will
determine the lab grade. Each test will require identification of a set of
preserved fishes without reference to outside information. The first test (100
pts) will ask for identification to order and family of a set of fishes in
about 26 orders and 79 families (14 predominantly freshwater and 65 estuarine/marine). The third (30 pts)
and fourth (70 pts) tests will ask for identification to species of a set of
fishes in about 76 estuarine/marine species and 90 freshwater species,
respectively. The lecture test scores and term paper will represent 75% of the
final grade and the lab tests 25% of the final grade. The grading scale is the
standard GMU scale of 90-100 A, 80-89 B, etc. All exams must be taken as
scheduled, except in exceptional circumstances and then only by arrangement prior to the exam.
Methods of instruction: Lectures presented
by course instructor and guest speakers during class times and reading of text
material outside of class. If time permits, selected current articles will be
assigned for reading outside of class and the articles then discussed during
class. The laboratory will be partly taught by class demonstration, but mostly
through independent work and individual guidance from the instructor. Two or
three field trips will be made to demonstrate collection techniques and to see
live fishes and their habitats.
Honor Code: I support the GMU
Honor Code and expect all students to adhere to its requirements.
Instructor: Dr.
Don Kelso 3046 David
King Hall
703 993-1061 dkelso@gmu.edu Office Hours: Flexible and by
appointment
Lecture: T and Th 4:30-5:45 Krug Hall 14
Laboratory: T and Th 5:55-7:10 Krug Hall 14
Lecture text:
Moyle, P.B. and J. J. Cech, Jr.
2000. Fishes. An introduction to
ichthyology. Fourth Ed. Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. 612 p.
Laboratory texts:
Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr.
1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes. North America north of Mexico.
Peterson Field Guide Series.
Houghton-Mifflin Co., Boston. 432p.
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray.
1986. A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Peterson Field
Guide Series. Houghton-Mifflin Co.,
Boston. 354p.
Biol 536
Ichthyology
Laboratory Syllabus
Fall, 2001
Aug 28 Introduction , external anatomy, morphological
characters, specimen handling
Aug 30 Morphological variation and Reference Collection
organization
Sep 4 Internal
anatomy and osteology lab I
Sep 6 Fish
identification practice hagfish
- sturgeon
Sep 11 fish identification herrings - minnows
Sep 13 fish identification catfish - clingfishes
Sep 15 field trip to Lewes,
Delaware
Sep 18 Larval fish identification lab
Sep 20 fish identification halfbeaks - snailfishes
Sep 23 field trip to Gunston Cove
Sep 25 Age determination and growth lab
Sep 27 fish identification temperate basses - snappers
Oct 2 No
lab instructor fish identification mojarras - damselfishes
Oct 4 fish
identification mullets
- snake mackerels
Oct 9 Fall
break, no class
Oct 11 fish identification mackerels and
tunas - puffers
Oct 16 Fish behavior lab
Oct 18 fish identification
Oct 23 Fish identification test 1 (Orders and families)
(100 pts)
Oct 25
Oct 30 internal anatomy and osteology lab II
Nov 1
Nov 6
Nov 8
Nov 13 Fish identification test 3 (Estuarine/marine
species) (30 pts)
Nov 15
Nov 20
Nov 22 Thanksgiving Holiday
Nov 27
Nov 29
Dec 4 Fish identification
test 4 (Freshwater species) (70 pts)
Dec 6