INVERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY GEOL/BIOL 3100&3104L

DR. ENGELMANN: 269 DSC Spring 2000 Office DC 269 9:00-10:00AM W, 10:00-11:00AM TR, & 2:00-3:00PM WR

Text: Prothero, Bringing Fossils to Life.

This course will have an unusual, two-part organization. One lecture each week will be devoted to topics related to principles and problems in paleontology such as those discussed in the first ten chapters of the text. The remaining lectures will be devoted to systematic coverage of invertebrate fossils, and labs will be devoted to work on lab assignments that focus on the identification of fossils. You may wish to keep lecture notes for the two different types of topics in separate notebooks or separate sections of a notebook. Reading assignments are to be completed by the first class of the week indicated. Students will be responsible for all material covered in lecture and in reading assignments. The 3 one-hour exams will be worth 100 points each, and the final exam will be worth 200 points toward the final grade.

There will be a lab final worth 50 points, a lab notebook worth 50 points and lab quizzes and exercises worth a total of 100 points. Specimens will be available in the lab during the scheduled lab time, and some selected specimens will be available in the lab throughout the week during which that group is being studied. There will be a quiz on each group following the week scheduled for its study in lab. Specimens will no longer be available after the quiz on that taxonomic group. Lab notebooks will include (minimally) assigned specimen drawings for each group. Drawings should be completed weekly and placed in the notebook. Random checks will be made throughout the semester, and completed notebooks will be due at the lab exam.

Course Outline

Week Lecture Lab Text

1 Bias in the Record Fossils &

Fossilization 1

2 Description Micropaleontology:

Ontogeny Foraminifera 2, 11

3 Populations Micropaleontology &

Porifera 2, 11

4 Species Cnidaria 3, 12

5 EXAM Bryozoa 13

6 Systematics Brachiopoda 4,13

7 Evolution Brachiopoda 5,16

8 Extinction Annelida & Arthropoda 6,14

9 EXAM Mollusca: Gastropoda 15

10 Functional Morphology Mollusca: Pelecypoda 7,15

11 Paleoecology Mollusca: Cephalopoda 8,15

12 Biogeography Echinodermata 9,16

13 EXAM Chordata 17

14 Biostratigraphy Plants & Trace Fossils 10, 18

15 Overflow Lab Final

Final Exam - Tuesday, May 2, 8:30 AM

INVERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY 3100

Supplementary Reading

Useful texts:

Boardman, Cheetham & Rowell, 1987. Fossil Invertebrates. Some introductory chapters on principles, but mostly systematic review of morphology of major groups, some in greater detail than others (Bryozoa).

Brasier, M.D., 1980. Microfossils. An introduction to groups represented as microfossils. Includes pollen.

Briggs, D.E.G. & P.R. Crowther, eds. 1990. Palaeobiology: A Synthesis. A compilation of essays by specialists on major problems in paleontology. Mixed bag of review papers summarizing the state of the art and general discussions of "big picture" topics with specific examples.

Brouwer, A., 1966. General Paleontology. A general discussion of the nature of paleontological problems and the different approaches to the subject. Translated from German.

Clarkson, E.N.K., 1993. Invertebrate Paleontology and Evolution, 3rd. Introduction to the major invertebrate groups. Omits microfossils and some important minor groups.

McKinney, Frank K., 1991. Exercises in invertebrate paleontology. Lab exercises to develop familiarity with paleontological concepts and morphology of major invertebrate groups.

Moore, R.C., C.G. Lalicker & A.G. Fischer, 1952. Invertebrate Fossils. Long out of date but still a handy reference with many illustrations of common genera.

Nield, W. K., 1987. Drawing and Understanding Fossils. Lab manual style introduction to major invertebrate groups with a section on drawing fossil specimens.

Newton, Cathryn & L.F.Laporte, 1989. Ancient Environments, 3rd. A good introduction to paleoecology.

Raup, D.M. & S.M. Stanley, 1978. Principles of Paleontology, 2nd. Perhaps the best general dioscussion of the nature of paleontological problems and different methods of analysis.

Rudwick, M.J.S., 1985. The Meaning of Fossils. A philosophical account of the history of the development of paleontology.

Tasch, P., 1980. Paleobiology of the Invertebrates, 2nd. Introduction to invertebrate groups important in the fossil record.

Ziegler, B., 1983. Introduction to Paleobiology: General Paleontology. General discussion of problems and methods similar to Raup & Stanley. Translated from German

Journals:

Journal of Paleontology

Lethaia

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology

Paleobiology

Palaeontology

The Treatise of Invertebrate Paleontology, Several volumes, various dates and authors, some volumes already revised others not yet published. A comprehensive listing of genera of fossil invertebrates with discussions of taxonomy, morphology, paleoecology, etc..