BIO 209 – Advanced Lower Invertebrates
COURSE PARTICULARS
Course Code: BIO 209
Course Title: Advanced Lower Invertebrates
No. of Units: 3
Course Duration: Two hours of theory and three hours of practicals per week for 15 weeks.
Status: Compulsory
Course Email Address: [email protected]
Course Webpage: http://www.fwt.futa.edu.ng/courseschedule.php?coursecode=FWT%20204
Prerequisite: NIL
COURSE INSTRUCTORS
Mr. O. O. Oladele
Room 16, Adamu Academic Staff Office,
Dept. of Biology,
Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria.
Phone: +2348062592159
Email: [email protected]
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is an exploratory course in advanced lower invertebrates designed primarily for
students in biology. As a practical oriented course, the focus is to impart useful skills on the
students vis-à-vis diagnosis and identification of advanced lower invertebrates and prepare them
for other specialised demonstrations to be encountered at higher levels. Topics to be covered
include detailed systematic morphology, life cycle and economic importance of protozoans,
cnidarians, ctenophorans, platyhelminthes and nematodes; nematological techniques; general
principles and methods of controlling nematodes.
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COURSE OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this course are to:
 introduce students to the various groups of lower invertebrates; and
 provide students with opportunities to become familiar with the names and features of
some common invertebrates.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES / COMPETENCIES
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
(Knowledge based)



classify lower invertebrates into groups and explain distinguishing features of each
group;
give representative examples of each group;
state economic importance of members of each group;
(Skills)
 use diagnostic features to identify any member of each group;
 carry out detailed taxonomic classification of the identified member; and
GRADING SYSTEM FOR THE COURSE
This course will be graded as follows:
Class Attendance
5%
Practicals
10%
Assignments
5%
Test(s)
20%
Final Examination
60%
TOTAL
100%
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
Attendance: It is expected that every student will be in class for lectures and also participate in
all practical exercises. Attendance records will be kept and used to determine each person’s
qualification to sit for the final examination. In case of illness or other unavoidable cause of
absence, the student must communicate as soon as possible with any of the instructors, indicating
the reason for the absence.
Academic Integrity: Violations of academic integrity, including dishonesty in assignments,
examinations, or other academic performances are prohibited. You are not allowed to make
copies of another person’s work and submit it as your own; that is plagiarism. All cases of
academic dishonesty will be reported to the University Management for appropriate sanctions in
accordance with the guidelines for handling students’ misconduct as spelt out in the Students’
Handbook.
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Assignments and Group Work: Students are expected to submit assignments as scheduled.
Failure to submit an assignment as at when due will earn you zero for that assignment. Only
under extenuating circumstances, for which a student has notified any of the instructors in
advance, will late submission of assignments be permitted.
Code of Conduct in Lecture Rooms and Laboratories: Students should turn off their cell phones
during lectures. Students are prohibited from engaging in other activities (such as texting,
watching videos, etc.) during lectures. Food and drinks are not permitted in the laboratories.
READING LIST
2
Ann, F. 1994. Heineman Advanced Science, Biology, 1st Edition.
Heineman Educational Publishers, USA. 513p.
2
Taylor, D.J. Green, N.P.O. and Stout, G.W. 1998. Biological Science. 3rd Edition.
Cambridge University Press, UK. 925p.
2
Williams, T.K., James, L.G. and Carol,G.G. 1993. Biological Science. 5th Edition.
Published by W.W. Norton and Company,New York.1194pp.
Legend
1- Available in the University Library
2- Available in Departmental/School Libraries
3- Available on the Internet.
4- Available as Personal Collection
5- Available in local bookshops.
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COURSE OUTLINE
Week
1
Topic
Remarks
Introduction and Course Overview
Advanced Lower Invertebrates
2&3
Detailed Systematic Morphology, Life Cycle and
Economic Importance of Protozoans.
4&5
Detailed Systematic Morphology, Life Cycle and
Economic Importance of Cnidarians.
6
Detailed Systematic Morphology, Life Cycle and
Economic Importance of Ctenophorans.
7&8
Detailed Systematic Morphology, Life Cycle and
Economic Importance of Platyhelminthes (Part
1)
 Structure and Characteristics of
Platyhelminthes.
 Classification of Platyhelminthes:
 Structure and Characteristics of
Turbellarians
 Life Cycle of Turbellarians
Detailed Systematic Morphology, Life Cycle and
Economic Importance of Platyhelminthes (Part
2).
 Structure and Characteristics of
Trematodes.
 Classification of Trematodes.
 Structure and Characteristics of
Cestodes.
 Classification of Cestodes
 Life Cycle of Cestodes
 Economic Importance of
Platyhelminthes.
9 & 10
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During this first class, the
expectation of the students from the
course will also be documented.
Practical exercise will involve
demonstrations in the use of
microscope in examining certain
protozoans in pond water.
Practical exercise will involve
demonstrations in the use of
microscope in examining slides of
certain cnidarians.
Practical exercise will involve
demonstrations in the use of
microscope in examining slides of
certain ctenophorans.
Students will be requested to
observe, draw and label certain
turbellarians.
MID-SEMESTER TEST
Students will be requested to
observe, draw and label certain
trematodes and cestodes.
11 & 12
Detailed Systematic Morphology, Life Cycle
and Economic Importance of Nematodes.
Students will be requested to
observe, draw and label certain
nematodes.
Nematological Techniques.
General Principles and Methods of
Controlling Nematodes.
Students will be introduced to
nematological techniques and
methods of controlling nematodes.
13 & 14


15
REVISION
This is the week preceding the final
examination. At this time,
evaluation will be done to assess
how far the students’ expectations
for the course have been met.
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