Syllabus Information

5.1. Methodological overview

The learning process that is designed for this subject is based on the following:

The course is focused on publicizing a subject that is of little development during the Geology degree, so the agendas are novel for the student. Therefore the proposed activities are focused on understanding the anatomy of vertebrates, conservation and formation of deposits of fossil vertebrates and systematics of major groups, especially hominins.

To set and work with the knowledge acquired in lectures is complemented with practical laboratory activity and seminars, where the student will learn and demonstrate methods and analysis used and the results of their application. At the seminar, the student must demonstrate the ability to investigate, if only in the literature, expound and defend the report on issues related Vertebrate Paleobiology.

For better monitoring of the learning process it will be encouraging the students to use the tutorials through various systems and methods: conventional tutorials, more specific tutorials related to practical work-type seminar and the possibility of carrying out telematic tutorials will even offer .

In support, it will be posted on the Web www.aragosaurus.com basic reference material. The program of the course, the teaching guide, summaries of the theoretical issues, scripts practices and diverse complementary material.

5.2. Learning tasks

The program that the student is offered to help him to achieve the expected results includes the following activities:

Participatory Lectures: 17 hours (1.7 ECTS). 44 hours of personal work of a student, essential compound in the study of theoretical issues.

The theoretical program of the subject consists of two parts: 1) The skeleton of vertebrates; 2) Main events in the history of paleontology and paleobiology of vertebrates. 

5.3. Syllabus

The program is divided into 23 theoretical subjects, eight subjects of practical classes and guidance for the development of a personal work, theoretical, from specialized scientific literature.
Theoretical topics:
1. The skeleton of vertebrates
1.1. The mineralized tissues of vertebrates
1.2. Orientation of the skeleton of vertebrates
1.3. Parts of the skeleton of vertebrates
2. Main events in the history of vertebrates
2.1. Craniata, the origin of the head in vertebrates
2.2. Swimming and predation
2.3. Adaptations to terrestrial environment. The egg amniota
2.4. Permian reptiles and plate tectonics
2.5. Dawn of the Dinosaurs
2.6. Saurischia
2.7. Ornithischia
2.8. Adaptations to flight: avian dinosaurs, flying reptiles and mammals
2.9. Locomotion vertebrate through their icnitas
2.10. Mesozoic mammals and origin of mammals
2.11. Tertiary mammals. The strange case of South American mammals.
2.12. Quaternary mammals. Adaptations to cold.
2.13. Micromammals and climatic reconstructions in the Quaternary
2.14. Hominids: bipedalism, sexual dimorphism, life in the savannah
2.15. African hominids
2.16. human dispersal in Eurasia: georgicus Homo, Homo antecessor, Homo heidelbergensis
2.17. Neanderthals and early modern humans in Europe
2.18. The conquest of the New World
2.19. Human language in communication of hominids
2.20. Emergence of art and symbolic mind

Practical classes: 18 hours (1.8 ECTS). 45 hours of students including the preparation of the report of each practice.

The practical classes are divided into 8 topics:
1. Orientation of a vertebrate and body regions of vertebrates
2. The cranial and postcranial skeleton.
3. Muscle attachments, joints, biomechanics
4. The teeth of vertebrates and diet
5. Dinosaur Fossils
6. Fossil remains of microvertebrates, biostratigraphy and environmental reconstructions
7. Comparative anatomy of the major groups of mammals.
8. Human Fossils and recognition of the hominid characters.

Development of a practical work-type seminar: 7 hours (0.7 ECTS) and 17 hours of personal work (bibliographical research, attending tutorials, preparing multimedia presentation).

The proposed topics are: 1) Large aquatic vertebrates. sharks; 2) Large Marine Mesozoic vertebrates acuáticos.Reptiles; 3) Large aquatic vertebrates. Cetaceans Paleogene and modern whales; 4) Evolution of vertebrates on the islands; 5) polar dinosaurs; 6) Large predators. theropod dinosaurs; 7) Large predators. carnivorous mammals; 8) The "sails" of the Permian reptiles; 9) The first humans in Europe and Atapuerca; 10) Neanderthals on the Iberian Peninsula.

Field Practical classes: 10 hours (0.8 ECTS). 15 hours of personal work. Analysis, classification and vertebrates paleobiological reconstruction of dinosaur tracks from the Early Cretaceous of the Iberian Range.

Written test (completion of the exam). 4 hours of personal work

Throughout the course, both in practical classes, and theoretical is to use literature and Internet resources in English. In addition to the practical work it is mainly from English literature. All these activities are measured with ECTS 1 credit in English.

5.4. Course planning and calendar

The course will consist of 17 lectures (slightly more than one topic per class) and 9 practices 2 hours. In the first session of seminars bibliographic research work is assigned and the teacher responsible for their care. The start time and duration of theoretical exam of each call will be placed one week in advance on the bulletin board Palaeontology and teaching section of the website www.aragosaurus.com. Each notice shall include a theoretical and practical examination.

5.5. Bibliography and recommended resources