Universität Wien

300123 UE Comparative morphology, neuroanatomy and evolution of chelicerates (2025S)

(Spinnentiere i.w.S.)

10.00 ECTS (6.00 SWS), SPL 30 - Biologie
Continuous assessment of course work

Für diese LV wird eine verpflichtende Sicherheitsunterweisung stattfinden. Nach Ablauf der Anmeldephase und Aufnahme der Studierenden, muss diese absolviert werden. Der link zum entsprechenden Moodle-Kurs wird ihnen nach Aufnahme in den Kurs zugesendet.
Alle Übungsräume dürfen ausschließlich mit Labormantel und geschlossenen Schuhen betreten werden, falls benötigt, muss eine Laborbrille angeschafft werden - Privatsachen bitte in den Garderoberäumen verstauen.

There will be a mandatory safety instruction for this course. After the registration period, the admitted students have to complete this instruction. The link to the corresponding Moodle course will be sent to you after you have been accepted to the course.
All practice rooms may only be entered with a lab coat and closed shoes, and, if needed, lab glasses must also be purchased - please store private belongings in the cloakroom.
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Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 8 participants
Language: German, English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

Raum 4.092, 4. OG, Djerasiplatz 1,1030 Wien

  • Monday 03.03. 15:00 - 16:00 Seminarraum 4.1, Biologie Djerassiplatz 1, 4.125, Ebene 4 (Kickoff Class)
  • Monday 05.05. 09:00 - 17:00 Übungsraum 1.3 Mikroskopie 3, Biologie Djerassiplatz 1, 1.049, Ebene 1
  • Tuesday 06.05. 09:00 - 17:00 Übungsraum 1.3 Mikroskopie 3, Biologie Djerassiplatz 1, 1.049, Ebene 1
  • Wednesday 07.05. 09:00 - 17:00 Übungsraum 1.3 Mikroskopie 3, Biologie Djerassiplatz 1, 1.049, Ebene 1
  • Thursday 08.05. 09:00 - 17:00 Übungsraum 1.3 Mikroskopie 3, Biologie Djerassiplatz 1, 1.049, Ebene 1
  • Friday 09.05. 09:00 - 17:00 Übungsraum 1.3 Mikroskopie 3, Biologie Djerassiplatz 1, 1.049, Ebene 1
  • Monday 12.05. 09:00 - 17:00 Ort in u:find Details
    Übungsraum 1.3 Mikroskopie 3, Biologie Djerassiplatz 1, 1.049, Ebene 1
  • Tuesday 13.05. 09:00 - 17:00 Ort in u:find Details
  • Wednesday 14.05. 09:00 - 17:00 Ort in u:find Details
  • Thursday 15.05. 09:00 - 17:00 Ort in u:find Details
  • Friday 16.05. 09:00 - 17:00 Ort in u:find Details

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Aims:

At the end of this practical course, participants should:

- be well-acquainted with the eidonomical and anatomical disparity of body plans in Chelicerata (spiders, scorpions, sea spiders and their kin),

- have significantly advanced their understanding of the structure and function of chelicerate organ systems, in particular the central nervous system and some of its major sense organs (eyes, chemosensory appendages), and

- have obtained the background knowledge to critically evaluate these aspects in the light of the current debate on chelicerate evolution
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Contents and methods of the course:

The course will:

- convey the participants an overview of the disparate external morphology (eidonomy) of various chelicerate taxa (predominantly preserved material + selected live specimens) via stereomicroscopic examination and guided identification of key characteristics

- feature a practical case study of the remarkably variable body organization (trunk segment number, evolutionary losses and regains of head appendages) of the marine sea spiders (Pycnogonida), which will be interactively explored by examination of hitherto unstudied bulk samples from Antarctic waters

- include instruction and guidance for the dissection of the central nervous system (CNS) in different chelicerate taxa

- introduce different techniques for the comparative study of arthropod neuroanatomy (e.g., immunohistological stainings, fluorescent backfills); some of which will be practically applied in small student projects (tailored according to participant number and interests)

- cover the structure and function of organ systems other than the CNS and deal with current topics in chelicerate evolution – in part via student presentations

- require a written report, in which results obtained in the course’s different parts are presented, compared across taxa and discussed in the context of competing hypotheses on chelicerate body plan evolution

Assessment and permitted materials

Active participation during the course, student presentation (topics assigned during kick-off meeting on 03.03.2025), written report

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Presence during the course is required.

The final grade will be composed of the presentation (30%), active participation (40% - beyond the small group projects, this includes also appropriate sample handling, documentation and dissection) and the written report (30%).

Each of the three components needs to be positively evaluated (i.e., at least grade “4”).

Examination topics

Apart from the specific topic presented in the individual presentation, the course contents need to be appropriately covered in the written report, including the documentation and discussion of the results obtained.

Reading list

Will be announced/provided at the preparatory first meeting (03.03.2025) and during the course.

Association in the course directory

MZO2, MZO W1, MZO4, CoBeNe 4, MES5

Last modified: Mo 03.02.2025 12:26