An outline of general zoology

Zoology: Definition; zoology in relation to other sciences; reasons for studying zoology; the scientific method in zoology; subdivisions of zoology; unity of animal life, advice to the beginning student.

Protoplasm: Definition; the living substance; distinctions between living and non-living matter, characteristics of protoplasm; methods of studying protoplasm.

Cell: Definition, the cell theory; concept or principle; morphology of animal cells; physiology of animal cells; reproduction of animal cells; differences between animal and plant cells; the significance of cells.

Organization of the animal body: Introduction; division of labor; body form; descriptive terminology.

Reproduction and development: Types of reproduction; embryology.

Animal classification: History of classification; categories of classification; criteria of increasing complexity, characteristics of the Phyla.

Protozoa; the Phylum Protozoa; examples; characteristics; classes.

Porifera, Coelenterata, Ctenophora: Characteristics; classes; examples.

Platyhelmintes, Nematoda, Acanthocephala, Nematomorpha: Characteristics; classes; examples.

Miscellaneous Minor Phyla: Characteristics of the Phylum Rotatoria, Phylum Gastrotricha, Phylum Tardigrada, Phylum Chaetognatha, Phylum Bryozoa, Brachiopoda.

Echinodermata: Characteristic of the Phylum Echinodermata; major classes; examples.

Annelida: Characteristics of the Phylum Annelida; classes, examples.

Onychophora and arthropoda: Characteristic; major classes; classes of minor importance Phylum Arthropoda; examples of the Phylum Arthropoda.

Insecta: Orders of the class Isecta; examples.

Mollusca: Characteristics; classification; example.

Chordata: Characteristics; classification; example.

Superclass Pisces-Fishes: Characteristics; classification; example.

Superclass Tetrapoda and class Amphibia: Characteristics; orders; example.

Class Reptilia: Characteristics; major orders; example.

Class Aves: Characteristics; major divisions; example.

Class Mammalia: Characteristics; major divisions; example.

Organic evolution: Definition; evidence; examples of evolutionary series; theories of the method of organic evolution.

Taxonomy: Definition; purpose of the taxonomy; the concepts of species; the binomial system of nomenclature, categories of classification; certain essential rules of nomenclature.

Geographic distribution: the geographic range of animals, dispersal of animals, zoogeographic; classification; animal morphology and geographic range.

Ecology: Definition of ecology; factors of the environment; the major habitats; parasitism; the community; the regulation of population, succession.

Genetics and eugenics: definition of heredity and genetics, the continuity of the germ-plasm. Mendelism; sex determination; the gene theory of heredity; the origin of variations; inheritance of acquired characteristics; human heredity; improving mankind.

History of zoology: Chronological summary, by periods; brief biographies of great biologists.

Inglés