Zoology Major: Non-Chordates I - Protista & Metazoa

• Study notes for Draft UG syllabus for Zoology as Major, West Bengal State University

Semester I: DS-1 Non-Chordates I

• Invertebrate animals have been used medicinally for 4,000 years, and served as models for research and teaching since the late 1800s.
• This course will introduce students to the systematic and scientific studies of invertebrate animals on Earth.
• Students will learn general characteristics, classification, and structural/functional aspects, and also identify the relative importance of invertebrates in evolutionary processes.
• Lab work focuses on morphological and anatomical features of invertebrate animals.

Unit 1: Introduction to Protista and Metazoa (15 classes)

• General characteristics and classification of Protozoa up to phylum (Levine, 1980).
• General characteristics of Amoeba, Paramoecium, and Euglena.
• Life cycle and pathogenicity of Entamoeba histolytica, Plasmodium vivax, Giardia intestinalis, and Leishmania donovani.
• Locomotion and reproduction in Protista (Amoeba, Paramoecium, and Euglena).
• Evolution of symmetry and segmentation of Metazoa.

Unit 2: Porifera (6 classes)

• General organization and classification up to classes.
• Focus is given on canal systems and spicules in sponges.

Unit 3: Cnidaria (5 classes)

• General organization and classification up to classes.
• Metagenesis in Obelia, polymorphism in Cnidaria.
• Corals and coral reefs, including types, formation, distribution, and conservation significance are covered.

Unit 4: Ctenophora (3 classes)

• General organization and evolutionary significance.

Unit 5: Platyhelminthes (6 classes)

• General organization and classification up to classes.
• Life cycle and pathogenicity of Fasciola hepatica and Taenia solium.

Unit 6: Nematoda (10 classes)

• General organization and classification up to classes.
• Life cycle and pathogenicity of Ascaris lumbricoides and Wuchereria bancrofti.
• Parasitic adaptations in helminths.
• Origin and evolution of parasitic helminths.
• Classification to be followed as per Barnes (1994).

Non-Chordates I Lab

• Study of whole mounts of Amoeba, Paramoecium, and Euglena. Binary fission and Conjugation in Paramoecium is investigated.
• Examination of pond water collected from different places for protistan diversity.
• Study of Sycon (T.S. and L.S.), Hyalonema, Euplectella, Spongilla.
• Study of Obelia, Physalia, Millepora, Aurelia, Tubipora, Corallium, Alcyonium, Gorgonia, Metridium, Pennatula, Fungia, Meandrina, Madrepora.
• One specimen/slide of any Ctenophore.
• Study of adult Fasciola hepatica, Taenia solium.
• Study of adult male and female Ascaris lumbricoides.

Semester II: DS-2 Non-Chordates II

• Students should be introduced to systemic and scientific studies.
• Students will learn general characteristics, classification, and structural/functional aspects of invertebrates.
• Emphasisis on the relative importance of invertebrates in evolutionary processes, as well as morphological/anatomical features.

Unit 1: Introduction to Coelomates (3 classes)

• Evolution of coelom and metamerism.

Unit 2: Annelida (4 classes)

• General organization and classification up to classes.
• Excretion and osmoregulation in Annelida.

Unit 3: Arthropoda (10 classes)

• General characteristics and classification up to classes.
• Respiration in Arthropoda.
• General organization and evolutionary significance: King Crab and Crustacean Larvae.

Unit 4: Onychophora (2 classes)

• General organization and evolutionary significance.

Unit 5: Mollusca (10 classes)

• General characteristics and classification up to classes.
• Nervous system and respiration in Mollusca.
• Torsion and detorsion in Gastropoda. Evolutionary significance of trochophore larva.

Unit 6: Echinodermata (8 classes)

• General characteristics and classification up to classes.
• Water-vascular system in Asteroidea and larval forms in Echinodermata.

Unit 7: Hemichordata (8 classes)

• General organization of phylum Hemichordata.
• Phylogenetic relationship with non-chordates and chordates (only recent concepts) *.
• Filter feeding in Balanoglossus.
• Classification to be followed as per Barnes (1994).

Non-Chordates II Lab

• Study of specimens:
  • Annelids: Aphrodita, Nereis, Heteronereis, Sabella, Serpula, Chaetopterus, Pheretima, Hirudinaria
  • Arthropods: Limulus, Palamnaeus, Palaemon, Daphnia, Balanus, Sacculina, Cancer, Eupagurus, Scolopendra, Julus, Bombyx, Periplaneta, termites and honey bees
  • Onychophora: Peripatus
  • Molluscs: Chiton, Dentalium, Pila, Doris, Helix, Unio, Ostrea, Pinctada, Sepia, Octopus, Nautilus
  • Echinoderms: Pentaceros/Asterias, Ophiura, Clypeaster, Echinus, Cucumaria and Antedon
  • Hemichordates: Saccoglossus
• Mount of mouth parts and dissection of digestive system, nervous system and reproductive system of Periplaneta
• Project Report on pond water invertebrate diversity, life cycles of mosquitoes/butterfly/moth, or coral/coral reefs.

Semester III: DS-3 Chordates

• Awareness of the distinguishing characters of chordates and their classification up to class.
• Origin of chordates, Dipleurula concept, Echinoderm theory, and advanced features of vertebrates over Protochordata.
• More detail into Agnatha, Pisces, Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves and Mammals with classification details.
• Identification of the relative importance of chordates in evolutionary processes, as well as morphological/anatomical features.

Unit 1: Introduction to Chordates (2 classes)

• General characteristics and outline classification of Phylum Chordata up to Class.

Unit 2: Protochordata (4 classes)

• General characteristics and classification of sub-phylum Urochordata and Cephalochordata up to Classes.
• Metamorphosis in Ascidia.
• Chordate Features and Feeding in Branchiostoma.

Unit 3: Origin of Chordata (4 classes)

• Dipleurula concept and the Echinoderm theory of origin of chordates.
• Advanced features of vertebrates over Protochordata.

Unit 4: Agnatha (2 classes)

• General characteristics and classification of cyclostomes up to order.

Unit 5: Pisces (5 classes)

• General characteristics and classification of Chondrichthyes and Osteichthyes up to Subclasses (Romer 1959).
• Accessory respiratory organ, osmoregulation and swim bladder in fishes.

Unit 6: Amphibia (4 classes)

• General characteristics and classification up to living Orders.
• Metamorphosis and parental care in Amphibia.

Unit 7: Reptilia (4 classes)

• General characteristics and classification up to living Orders.
• Poison apparatus and biting mechanism in snake.

Unit 8: Aves (8 classes)

• General characteristics and classification up to Sub-Classes.
• Respiration, migration, principles and aerodynamics of flight in birds.

Unit 9: Mammals (8 classes)

• General characteristics and classification up to living orders.
• Phylogenetic significance of Prototheria.
• Adaptive radiation in mammals with reference to locomotory appendages.
• Echolocation in Microchiropterans and Cetaceans.

Unit 10: Zoogeography (4 classes)

• Zoogeographical realms.
• Plate tectonics and continental drift theory.
• Distribution of birds and mammals in different realms.

Chordates Lab

• Lab/field study of:
  • Protochordata: Herdmania, Branchiostoma, colonial Urochordates, Sections of Balanoglossus through proboscis and branchiogenital regions, Sections of Amphioxus through pharyngeal, intestinal and caudal regions, Herdmania spicules
  • Agnatha: Petromyzon, Myxine
  • Fishes: Scoliodon, Sphyrna, Pristis, Torpedo, Chimaera, Mystus, Heteropneustes, Labeo, Exocoetus, Echeneis, Anguilla, Hippocampus, Tetraodon, Anabas, Flat fish
  • Amphibia: Ichthyophis/Ureotyphlus, Necturus, Bufo, Hyla, Alytes, Salamandra
  • Reptilia: Chelone, Trionyx, Hemidactylus, Varanus, Uromastix, Chamaeleon, Ophiosaurus, Draco, Bungarus, Vipera, Naja, Hydrophis, Zamenis, Crocodylus
  • Aves: Study of six common birds from different orders (Stork, Owl/Falcon, Sun Bird, Jacana, Duck)- types of beaks and claws.
  • Mammalia: Sorex, Bat (Insectivorous and Frugivorous), Funambulus, Loris, Herpestes, Erinaceous.
• Mount of weberian ossicles of Mystus or any Carp, Pecten from Fowl head

Semester IV: DS-4 Comparative Anatomy and Physiology of Vertebrates:

• Aims to help students explore the functional logic of living systems.
• The plan is to explore the fundamentals of body structure & its function and their evolution and anatomy of our body parts.

Unit 1 (2 classes)

• Structure, function and derivatives of integument in amphibians, birds and mammals.

Unit 2 (3 classes)

• Overview of axial and appendicular skeleton, jaw suspension, and visceral arches.

Unit 3 (2 classes)

• Dentition in mammals.

Unit 4 (3 classes)

• General plan of circulation, comparative account of heart and aortic arches.

Unit 5 (3 classes)

• Respiratory organs in fish, amphibian, birds and mammals.

Unit 6 (2 classes)

• Succession of kidney, evolution of urinogenital ducts.

Unit 7 (3 classes)

• Comparative account of brain in vertebrates; fish, bird and mammal.

Unit 8: Tissues (2 classes)

• Structure, classification and functions of epithelial, connective and muscular tissues.

Unit 9: Digestive System (4 classes)

• Structural organization/functions of Gastrointestinal tract/associated glands.
• Modifications of digestive tract in ruminants.

Unit 10: Respiratory System (4 classes)

• Mechanism of respiration, respiratory volumes/capacities.
• Transport of Oxygen and Carbon dioxide in blood.
• Dissociation curves/factors influencing it, respiratory pigments.

Unit 11: Muscular system (2 classes)

• Ultrastructure of skeletal muscle, molecular/chemical basis of muscle contraction.

Unit 12: Circulatory System (4 classes)

• Structure/working of conducting myocardial fibers, origin/conduction of cardiac impulses.
• Cardiac cycle/cardiac output.
• Components of Blood and their functions (blood buffering mechanism).
• Haemostasis and blood clotting system.

Unit 13: Nervous System (4 classes)

• Structure of neuron, resting membrane potential.
• Origin of action potential and its propagation across myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibers.
• Types of synapse, synaptic transmission and neuromuscular junction.

Unit 14: Thermoregulation (3 classes)

• Physiological classification based on thermal biology.
• Thermal biology of endotherms, hibernation, torpor aestivation.
• Anti-freezing mechanism in polar fish.

Unit 15: Urinary System (2 classes)

• Structure of kidney and functional unit, mechanism of hypertonic urine formation.

Unit 16: Reproductive System (2 classes)

• Gametogenesis of mammals; histology of ovary and testis

Lab

• Study of placoid, cycloid and ctenoid scales through permanent slides/photographs
• Study of disarticulated skeleton of Toad, Pigeon and Guineapig
• Dissection of Tilapia: circulatory system, brain, pituitary, urinogenital system
• Determination of ABO Blood group
• Total count and differential count of blood
• Preparation of Haemin crystals from fish and rat.

Semester IV: DS-5 Ecology

• Aims to help students understand nature in the context of ecosystem dynamics, ecosystem functioning and provision of ecosystem services.
• Goal is a broad understanding of the processes that shape organism distribution and abundance, the key factors influencing habitat, and an appreciation of ecosystem services

Unit 1: Introduction to Ecology (4 classes)

• History of ecology, Autecology, synecology, levels of organization, Laws of limiting factors, Study of Physical factors, biomes.

Unit 2: Population (20 classes)

• Concept of population and metapopulation
• Unique and group attributes of population: Demographic factors, life tables, fecundity tables, survivorship curves, dispersal and dispersion.
• Geometric, exponential and logistic growth, equation and patterns, r and K strategies Population regulation - density- dependent and independent factors

Unit 3: Community (8 classes)

• Population Interactions: Gause's Principle with laboratory and field examples, Lotka-Volterra equation for competition.
• Community characteristics: species diversity, measures of diversity; abundance, dominance, richness, Vertical stratification, Ecotone and edge effect. Ecological

Unit 4: Ecosystem (8 classes)

• Food chains, Food web, Ecological pyramids, Energy flow through the ecosystem, Ecological efficiencies, Biogeochemical cycles (Nitrogen cycle and water cycle), Human modified ecosystem.

Unit 5: Applied Ecology (5 classes)

• Introduction to Indian ecosystems (outline idea of mangrove, desert, wetland, montane).
• Concept of Ramsar site, Ramsar sites of India, Ecosystem services with special reference to wetlands.
• Sustainable environment, SDG goals, Outline ideas and objective of Indian Environmental Laws.

Ecology Lab/Field

• Provides hands-on ecology
• Study of life tables and plotting of survivorship curves of different types from the hypothetical/real data provided
• Determination of population density of a natural/hypothetical population.
• Study of species diversity of a community by quadrat or any other suitable sampling method and calculation of diversity indices.
• Study of an aquatic ecosystem: Sampling of zooplankton, Measurements of temperature, turbidity/penetration of light, determination of pH, and Dissolved Oxygen content (Winkler's method), free CO2.
• Field Study: Visit to a National Park/Wildlife Sanctuary/ any other Protected Forest/ any natural habitat.
• Report is done (including the actual field diary) on the study of the landscape and habitat features, Survey on: Types of Forests, Major Flora and Fauna, Man-animal conflicts and other problems.

Semester IV: DS-6 Cell Biology

• This course aims to elevated a students' knowledge of structure and function of a cell through a more deeper and in-depth study of the organelles.
• Details how the building blocks functions and responds.
• This course also deals with the functional part of cell and the basis of life

Unit 1: Overview of Cells (3 classes)

• Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cells, Virus, Viroids, Mycoplasma, Prions

Unit 2: Plasma Membrane (10 classes)

• Various models of plasma membrane
• Transport across membranes: Active and Passive transport, Facilitated transport Cell junctions: Tight junctions, Desmosomes, Gap junctions
• Extracellular Matrix-Cell Interactions

Unit 3: Endomembrane System (4 classes)

• Structure and Functions: Golgi Apparatus, Endoplasmic Reticulum, Lysosomes

Unit 4: Mitochondria and Peroxisomes (8 classes)

• Mitochondria: Structure, Semi-autonomous nature, Endosymbiotic hypothesis; Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain, Chemi-osmotic hypothesis, Peroxisome

Unit 5: Cytoskeleton (2 classes)

• Structure and Functions: Microtubules, Microfilaments and Intermediate filaments

Unit 6: Nucleus (6 classes)

• Structure of Nucleus: Nuclear envelope, Nuclear pore complex, Nucleolus, Chromatin: Euchromatin and Heterochromatin and packaging (nucleosome)

Unit 7: Cell Division (8 classes)

• Mitosis and Meiosis
• Cell cycle and its regulation
• Cancer (Concept of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes) Mechanisms of cell death: brief overview

Unit 8: Cell Signaling (4 classes)

• Cell signaling transduction pathways; Types of signaling molecules and receptors GPCR and Role of secondary messenger (cAMP)

Cell Biology Lab

• Hands on lab skills
• Preparation of temporary stained squash of onion root tip to study various stages of mitosis
• Study of various stages of meiosis (in pre-prepared slides and/or in photographs obtained from websites).
• Preparation of permanent slide to show the presence of Barr body in human female blood cells/cheek cells.
• Preparation of permanent slide to demonstrate: DNA by Feulgen reaction
• Cell viability study by Trypan Blue staining
• Mitochondrial staining from cheek cells.
• Blood Smear preparation and Identification of blood cells

Semester IV: DS-7 Biochemistry

• Focus is on chemical basis of life which forms the axis of principal organization of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
• Living organisms is made out of molecules, how they interact and function
• The goal is to delineating these chemical interactions in living organism to perform its basic live-sustaining functionaries and bridge the gap between physical/chemical science.

Unit 1: Fundamentals of biochemical reactions and metabolism (4 classes)

• Thermodynamics, concept of Free energy changes, Ionization of water, weak acids and bases, buffering and pH changes in living systems

Unit 2: Carbohydrates (5 classes)

• Basic Structure of carbohydrate structure, isomerism.
• Carbohydrate metabolism: Glycolysis, Citric acid cycle, Pentose phosphate pathway, Gluconeogenesis

Unit 3: Lipids (6 classes)

• Structure and Significance: Physiologically important saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, Triacylglycerols, Phospholipids, Sphingolipid, Glycolipids, Steroids, Eicosanoids and terpenoids.
• Lipid metabolism: -oxidation of fatty acids; Fatty acid biosynthesis

Unit 4: Proteins (8 classes)

• Amino acids Structure, Classification, General and Electro chemical properties of a-amino acids; Physiological importance of essential and non-essential amino acids
• Proteins Bonds stabilizing protein structure; Levels of organization
• Protein metabolism: Transamination, Deamination, Urea cycle, Fate of C-skeleton of Glucogenic and Ketogenic amino acids

Unit 5: Nucleic Acids (8 classes)

• Structure: Purines and pyrimidines, Nucleosides, Nucleotides, Nucleic acids
• Types of DNA and RNA, Complementarity of DNA, Hypo- Hyperchromaticity of DNA, Outlines of nucleotide metabolism

Unit 6: Enzymes (10 classes)

• Nomenclature and classification, Cofactors.
• Specificity of enzyme action.
• Isozymes, Mechanism of enzyme action.
• Enzyme kinetics, Derivation of Michaelis-Menten equation, Lineweaver- Burk plot.
• Factors affecting rate of enzyme-catalyzed reactions.
• Enzyme inhibition, Allosteric enzymes and their kinetics, Strategy of enzyme action- Catalytic and Regulatory (Basic concept with one example each)

Unit 7: Oxidative Phosphorylation (4 classes)

• Redox systems, Review of mitochondrial respiratory chain.
• Inhibitors and un-couplers of Electron Transport System

Lab

• Hands on lab skills
• Qualitative tests of functional groups in carbohydrates, proteins and lipids.
• Paper chromatography of amino acids.
• Quantitative estimation by Lowry Method.
• Demonstration of separation of proteins by SDS-PAGE.
• Study of the enzymatic activity of amylase: effect of temperature and pH
• Performing Acid and Alkaline phosphatase assay from serum/tissue.

Semester V: DS-8 Molecular Biology

• Equips the student with a basic knowledge of structural and functional aspects of biological macromolecules such as DNA, RNA and protein along with thier interactions
• The goal is to explain and understand the molecular interactions of life and the structure, function and regulation of the genetic molecules
• The course presents how the knowledge is used in various techniques to decipher life process

Unit 1: Nucleic Acids (4 classes)

• Salient features of DNA and RNA; Watson and Crick Model of DNA

Unit 2: DNA Replication (6 classes)

• Mechanism of DNA Replication in Prokaryotes, Semi-conservative, bidirectional and discontinuous replication, RNA priming, Replication of telomeres

Unit 3: Transcription (6 classes)

• Mechanism of Transcription in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, Transcription factors, Difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic transcription.

Unit 4: Translation (8 classes)

• Mechanism of protein synthesis in prokaryotes, Ribosome structure and assembly in prokaryotes, fidelity of protein synthesis, aminoacyl tRNA synthetases and charging of tRNA; Proteins involved in initiation, elongation and termination of polypeptide chain; Genetic code, Degeneracy of the genetic code and Wobble Hypothesis; Inhibitors of protein synthesis; Difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic translation

Unit 5: Post Transcriptional Modifications and Processing of Eukaryotic RNA (6 classes)

• Capping and Poly A tail formation in mRNA; Split genes: concept of introns and exons, splicing mechanism, alternative splicing, exon shuffling, and RNA editing, Processing of tRNA

Unit 6: Gene Regulation (6 classes)

• Regulation of Transcription in prokaryotes: lac operon and trp operon; Regulation of Transcription in eukaryotes: Activators, enhancers, silencer, repressors, miRNA mediated gene silencing, Genetic imprinting

Unit 7: DNA Repair Mechanisms (4 classes)

• Types of DNA repair mechanisms, RecBCD model in prokaryotes, nucleotide and base excision repair, SOS repair

Unit 8: Molecular Lab Techniques (5 classes)

• PCR, Western and Southern blot, Northern Blot, Sanger DNA sequencing, cDNA technology

Molecular Biology Lab

• Provides hands on lab skills
• Demonstration of polytene Chromosome from Drosophila /Chironomid larvae
• Isolation and quantification of genomic DNA using spectrophotometer (A260 measurement)
• Agarose gel electrophoresis for DNA

Semester V: DS-9 Genetics

• Aims to provide a proper foundation to understanding and applying knowledge of genetics
• The study of genetics, the study of heredity, i.e., how characters are passed down from one generation to the next, allows understanding of how genes specify the biological properties of organisms.
• This course lays stress on various aspects of classical genetics.

Unit 1: Mendelian Genetics and its Extension (8 classes)

• Background of Mendel's experiments, Principles of Mendelian inheritance,
• Incomplete dominance and co-dominance, Epistasis, Multiple alleles, Lethal alleles, Pleiotropy, Sex-linked, sex- influenced and sex-limited inheritance, Polygenic Inheritance.

Unit 2: Linkage, Crossing Over and Chromosomal Mapping (8 classes)

• Linkage and Crossing Over, molecular basis of crossing over, Measuring Recombination frequency and linkage intensity using three factor crosses, Interference and coincidence.

Unit 3: Mutations (10 classes)

• Types of gene mutations (Classification), Types of chromosomal aberrations (Classification with one suitable example of each), Chromosomal aberrations, gene mutations and human diseases Sex chromosomes and sex-linked inheritance
• Non-disjunction and variation in chromosome number; Molecular basis of mutations in relation to UV light and chemical mutagens

Unit 4: Sex Determination (6 classes)

• Mechanisms of sex determination in Drosophila with reference to alternative splicing
• Sex determination in mammals
• Dosage compensation in Drosophila & Human

Unit 5: Extra-chromosomal Inheritance (6 classes)

• Criteria for extra chromosomal inheritance, Antibiotic resistance in Chlamydomonas, Kappa particle in Paramecium, Shell spiraling in snail

Unit 6: Recombination in Bacteria and Viruses (5 classes)

• Conjugation, Transformation, Transduction, Complementation test in Bacteriophage

Unit 7: Transposable Genetic Elements (2 classes)

• Transposons in bacteria, Ac-Ds elements in maize and P elements in Drosophila, LINE, SINE, Alu elements in humans

Genetics Lab

• Chi-square analyses and statistical tests of data and decision making
• Pedigree analysis of some inherited traits in human
• Identification of chromosomal aberration in Drosophila from photographs

Semester V: DS-10 Animal Behaviour and Chronobiology

• The goal is introducing the student to animal behaviour, its historical schools, how it relates to ecology, adaptation and enable to relate animal behavior to ecology, social/sexual adaptation and evolutionary biology
• How behavior is studied
• Biological rhythms

Unit 1: Introduction to Animal Behaviour (8 classes)

• A brief history and schools of animal behaviour studies including the works of Fabre, Darwin, Von Frisch, Lorenz, Tinbergen, Jane Goodal, Biruté Galdikas, Dian Fossey, Salim Ali, Gopal Bhattacharyya, M. K. Chandrashekhar, Raghavendra Gadagkar.
• The objectives of modern animal behaviour studies: Tinbergen's four questions.
• Methods of studying behaviours: Observation vs Watching, Ad libitum observations, Focal animal studies, Instantaneous scan, etc.

Unit 2: Behaviours of Individuals (10 classes)

• Reflexes and Orientations
• Learning: Imprinting and other Programmed Learning, Habituation, Innovations and Cultural Transmission / Social Learning

Unit 3: Social and Sexual Behaviour (14 classes)

• Social Behaviour: Concept of Sociality, Types of animal Society with examples, Altruism
• Communications in animals- different types (e.g. pheromones, visuals, tactile, acoustics, etc) with common examples
• Insects' society with Honey bee as example; Foraging in honey bee and advantages of the waggle dance.
• Sexual Behaviour: Asymmetry of sex, Sexual dimorphism, Mate choice, Intra-sexual selection (male rivalry), Inter-sexual selection (female choice), Sexual conflict in parental care.

Unit 4: Introduction to Chronobiology (7 classes)

• Historical developments in chronobiology
• Biological oscillation: the concept of Average, amplitude, phase and period
• Adaptive significance of biological clocks

Unit 5: Biological Rhythm (6 classes)

• Types and characteristics of biological rhythms: Short- and Long- term rhythms; Circadian rhythms; Tidal rhythms and Lunar rhythms;
• Concept of synchronization and masking; Photic and non-photic zeitgebers; Circannual rhythms;
• Photoperiod and regulation of seasonal reproduction of vertebrates; Role of melatonin.

Lab

• Study of nests (non-invasively) and nesting habits of birds and social insects (e.g. social wasps)
• Study of the behavioural responses of rice weevil/wood lice to dry and humid conditions.
• Study of geotaxis behaviour in earthworms
• Study of the phototaxis behaviour in insects/defensive behaviour in mosquito larvae.
• Visit to Biodiversity Park/Zoological Park/ any natural habitat to study behavioural activities of animals and prepare a short report
• Study and actogram construction of locomotor activity of suitable animal models
• Study of circadian functions in humans (daily eating, sleep and temperature patterns)

Semester V: DS-11 Endocrinology, Histology and Histochemistry

• The goal is learning how the homeostatic model applies to every endocrine system in normal physiology and disease and how chemical communication is involved in endocrinology
• Learn the various endocrine diseases and prevention and gain the skill in histopathology

Unit 1: Introduction to Endocrinology (2 classes)

• General idea of Endocrine systems, Classification, Characteristics and Transport of Hormones, Neurosecretions and Neurohormones

Unit 2: Epiphysis, Hypothalamo-hypophysial Axis (8 classes)

• Structure of pineal gland, Secretions and their functions in biological rhythms and reproduction; Structure of pituitary gland, hormones and their functions, disorders, hypothalamus

Unit 3: Peripheral Endocrine Glands (8 classes)

• Thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, pancreas, ovary and testis: structure, hormones, functions, regulations and disorders

Unit 4: Mechanism of Hormone Action (8 classes)

• Mechanism of hormone action, signal transduction pathways for steroidal and non steroidal hormones and receptors, bioassays of hormones using RIA & ELISA; estrous cycle in rat and menstrual cycle in human; hormonal regulation of parturition
• Histology and Histochemistry

Unit 5: Theory and principles of different staining procedures in Histology (4 classes)

• Unit 6: Theory and principles of different staining procedures in Histochemistry; Fixatives & Staining solutions; decalcification of calcified tissue before sectioning (6 classes)

Unit 7: Immunohistochemistry (3 classes)

Unit 8: Study of histology (4 classes)

• Bone, cartilage, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, liver, spleen, kidney, cardiac muscle, ovary, testis.

Unit 9: Histopathology in cancer tissue (2 classes)

• Comparing normal and abnormal tissue

Lab

• Microtomy of stained slides
• Study of permanent slides of Mammalian organs and cells
• Dissection and display of edocrine glands in rat
• Estimation of plasma level of any hormone using ELISA
• Preparation of slide and staining mucopolysaccharides by PAS reaction
• Preparation of slide and staining proteins by Mercurobromophenol blue/Fast Green

Semester VII: DS-12 Biostatistics and Taxonomy

• This course enables students with a basic understanding and hands on experience of biostatistics and taxonomy.
• The goal is to provide a foundation on basic statistical techniques and principles involved in identification and classification of animals.

Unit 1: Introduction to Biostatistics (10 classes)

• Importance of statistics in biological research.
• Basic idea of population and sample.
• Types of variables
• Measures of central tendency, Measures of dispersion, Skewness and kurtosis

Unit 2: Comparing distributions (8 classes)

• Concept of significance testing and its purpose.
• Testing for difference of means - Student's t test.
• Testing for goodness of fit - Chi square.
• Analysis of variance (one way).

Unit 3: Finding patterns (4 classes)

• Correlation - Pearson's coefficient (r).
• Linear regression.
• Basic concept of multiple regression and non-linear regression.

Unit 4: Basic taxonomy (6 classes)

• Definition and explanation: taxonomy, identification, systematics, classification.
• Properties of good classification, upward and downward classification, Biochemical compounds of taxonomic importance, Taxonomic characters and character states.

Unit 5: Special characters (2 classes)

• Strong selection pressure, environmental effects, molecular sequence characters, microcharacters, cryptic characters, animal artifacts, behavioural characters, morphological, physiological, ecological, ethological, geographical, embryological

Unit 6: Species and species concept (4 classes)

• Definition: species, taxon, phenon, taxonomic category, subspecies concept and types of subspecies.
• Species concept: biological species concept and its limitations, evolutionary Species Concept, phylogenetic species concept.

Unit 7: Type concept and ICZN (4 classes)

• Type concept: Typification and features of typification
• ICZN: Principle of nomenclature, authorship, priority, synonymy and homonymy.
• Concept of Taxonomic Key

Unit 8: Phylogenetic reconstruction (7 classes)

• Molecular taxonomy and bar-coding.
• Basics of phenetics and cladistics.
• Understanding tree topologies
• Construction of phylogenetic trees

Lab

• Provides hand on biostatistics
• Arranging data and graphical representation of data
• Calculating mean
• Performing t and correlation test
• Study of taxonomic characters of agriculture pest

Semester: VI DS-13 Developmental Biology

• The goal is to study how a single cell changes to become functional cells
• Includes biochemicals/morphological processes

Unit 1: Introduction (3 classes)

• Basic concepts of development including morphogenesis and growth

Unit 2: Early Embryonic Development (14 classes)

• Includes gamete and formation of members as well as induction

Unit 3: Late Embryonic Development (6 classes)

• Fate of the germ layers and their function's
• Membranes and implantation
• Functions/STructure

Unit 4: Post Embryonic Development (10 classes)

• Includes the brain, modes, compensation and epimorphosis.

Unit 5: Development in Murine Model (8 classes)

• The Cleavage with zonal pelucious
• How to form an axis

Unit 6: Implications of Developmental Biology (4 classes)

• Agents on stem cells and fertilization and also the effects like teratogenesis

Development Biology Lab Practical

• Provides practical understanding of theoretical principles
• Chick stage development with stain
• Placenta slide structure

Semester VI: DS-14 Evolutionary Biology

• Aims provides a proper foundation of evolution
• Explanations of genotypes and phenotypes allow the user better understanding as well clear concepts.
• Without a proper base, students are incompetent as well the subject is incomplete

Unit 1: Origin of Earliest Life (4 classes)

• Chemical Origins and the 3 life stages with the hypothesis.

Unit 2: Historical Review of Evolutionary Concept (5 classes)

• Pre Darwin Concepts, including Wallace, Darwins, and Syntesis

Unit 3: Evidences in Favor of Evolution (4 classes)

• Types of fossils in records
• depicts steps of horse

Unit 4: Sources of Variations (3 classes)

• Heritable variations of natural sources (classical study)

Unit 5: Evolutionary Genetics (12 classes)

• Allele concept populations
• Distruption and what to do
• Genetic Drift

Unit 6: Products of Evolution (6 classes)

• adaptive radiation with examples

Unit 7: Geological Time Scale (2 classes)

• K-T and time scales

Unit 8: Origin and Evolution of Man (4 classes)

• hominin characteristics including phylongeny

Unit 8: Molecular Phylogeny (5 classes)

• moleculer clock and vebrate

Lab

• Evolutionary Bio

Semester VI: DS-15 Immunology

• Goal is to delineate and focus on the functional areas/cellular aspects.
• The course deals with all the wings with adaptative and innate.
• Students shall gain knowledge T cells as well components on a molecular level.

Unit 1: Overview of Immune System (6 classes)

• Historical perspective of how it works with progenitor cells.

Unit 2: Innate and Adaptative Immunity

• Components of Innate and Adaptive systems with cellular mechanism's.

Unit 3: Antigen, Antigen presentation & MHC (8 classes)

• Adjuvents and factors that involve immunogenicity.

Unit 4: T Cell development and differentiation (6 classes)

• T Cells

Unit 5: Immunoglobulins (6 classes)

• Structure and functions involving antigen

Unit 6: Complement System (2 classes)

• How to active with Pathways

Unit 7: Hypersensitivity (2 classes)

• What gell and coobms is referring regarding sensitivity

Unit 8: Immunology of diseases (6 classes)

• Diseaes list

Unit 9: Vaccines (3 classes)

• Classifications with active and passive

Immunology Lab

• Demonstrations.

Semester VII: DS-16 Entomology and Vector Biology

• Course objectives include dealing with classification/Bionomy
• Understanding of insects

Unit 1: General Entomology (17 classes)

• Classification

Unit 2: Applied Entomology (18 classes)

• Cultures

Unit 3: Medical Entomology (10 classes)

• Vector bio of vector, dengue, lesis

Lab

• Collection and application of insecticide

Semester VII

• DS-15 (3 credits)Theory and 2 Credits Practical in Laboratory

###Unit 1:Introduction to Biodiversity and Wildlife (5classes)

• Definition, level,patterns and Value

###Unit2:Evaluation and management of biodiversity (4classes)

• Over view of Climatic zones

###Unit3: Management of forest Habitats (10 classes)

• Major forest types such as Bengal and India

Unit4: Population estimation (3 classes)

• Fertility status

Unit5: Wildlife conservation practices in India (3 classes)

• Act such as IUCN,CITES,Traffic

Unit6: Management planning of wildlife in protected areas (5 classes)

• Estimation of carrying capacity

Unit7: Man and Wildlife (5 classes)

• Conflicts in urban and advantages traditionals

Unit3:Protected areas (10classes)

• Reserves in India and in Bengal

Semester VIII: DS-18 Research methodology & scientific writing

• This goal is to allow everyone involved or precticing researchers has knowledge
• Goal focuses