BIOL 6510 - Advanced Herpetology 4 s.h.

The class will cover the diversity and evolutionary relationships of amphibians and non-avian reptiles, their use as model systems in biology, their interactions with humans, and threats to amphibian and reptile biodiversity. In the laboratory portion of the course, students will use the amphibian and reptile specimens held in the SUNY Oneonta Vertebrate Collection to learn what morphological traits characterize major taxa of amphibians and reptiles. Students will also learn to identify common amphibian and reptile species of Central New York through field trips to locations in the Oneonta area. Field trips are part of the course, and some may take place outside the regular lab time. The timing of field trips will be arranged by the instructor and the students during the course and will depend partly on weather conditions. Students will also be able to complete field trips independently in some cases but should be prepared to consult with the instructor before doing so. Graduate students will be expected to take on leadership roles in the class by presenting guest lectures and helping other students to see the connection between course topics and research at SUNY Oneonta. A-E only. Offered biannually.
Prerequisite(s): Graduate status.