Introduction to Entomology

Winter 2013, BIOL 4220

Instructor: Dr. Shannon Murphy

Office Hours: By appointment or when door is open

Course Meeting: Wednesdays, 10:00-11:45am, Mudd 309

Course Goals and Objectives

In this course, you will be introduced to the study of insects. We will learn about their morphology, physiology, taxonomy and ecology.

Course Readings and Discussions

This class will be roughly divided between presentations on insect Orders and discussion of papers about those insects. There is no assigned text for the class and all readings will come from the primary literature and will be posted on blackboard.

You are expected to come to class prepared to discuss the assigned readings for that week. Take notes as you read and jot down any questions or thoughts you have that we can discuss as a class – I will likely not know all the answers so this will truly be a discussion in which everyone is expected to contribute their opinion! Please come to each class prepared with 2 “talking points” from each assigned paper to help facilitate discussion.

Evaluation and Grading

Your performance in the course will be evaluated on the following percentages:

Contribution to class discussions……..50
Primary literature papers………………..10

Presentations……………..…………………40

Presentations

Everyone in class will give presentations that cover the 28 insect Orders. Each presentation should be ~10-15 minutes long and should contain information that you have learned about your Order. For instance, what are the distinctive features of this Order and how can we recognize a member of it? How many species are known? What should we know about its life history, metamorphosis, morphology, physiology, behavior, mating system, habitat restrictions, diet and ecology?

You will also be responsible for choosing 1-2 article(s) from the primary literature that focuses on the Order from your presentation. Try to choose papers that will facilitate discussion by teaching us more about this Order or how scientists use this Order to test general theory. Choosing papers from more widely-read journals (e.g. higher impact factors) such as Ecology Letters, Ecology, Oikos, Oecologia, Behavioral Ecology, Ecological Entomology, Entomologia, Environmental Entomology etc. will likely help you to choose papers that will be interesting to more of your classmates (although obscure journals do sometimes have the oddest ‘that’s so cool’ stories!). Send your selected paper to Shannon NO LATER than the Friday before your presentation. Papers will be posted on blackboard by 5pm Friday to be read by the following class meeting.