ZOO 6927 and ZOO 4926 — Herpetology

Instructors: Drs. F. Wayne King and Max Nickerson.

Time and Credit: Offered in spring semester of odd-numbered years. — 4 hrs. credit.

Click on the images to see full-sized photos.
 Herp class dipnetting pond.

  • Time and location can be found on the University of Florida Schedule of Courses page.

    - However, lectures usually are on Monday and Wednesday, period 07 (1:55-2:45 PM) and laboratory usually is on Friday, periods 7-9 (1:55-4:55 PM).

    - There are 3 mandatory fieldtrips: 2 are on Saturday, and 1 is a 3-day trip on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Herp class dipnetting pond.
Herp class dipnetting pond.
Herp class photographing hognose snake.

Class syllabus: The lecture portion of the class focuses on the diversity and classification, ecology, and management of reptiles and amphibians. The laboratory sessions concentrate on learning to identify the families of amphibians and reptiles of the world, genera of North America, and species of Florida.

The three (3) required fieldtrips provide the opportunity to learn techniques for surveying reptiles and amphibians in southeastern U.S. habitats and to understand the diversity of the species in the area, their ecology and distribution.

Week
 Lecture Topics Laboratory Topic
1
 Introductory outline of course; herp diversity and history of herpetology; introduction to taxonomic protocols, ICZN, types, synonymies, herp diversity. Introduction to systematics collections and specimen preparation and archival storage.
2
 Amphibian phylogeny, living and extinct groups, general anatomy and morphology, adaptive radiation, and higher classification. Amphibian skeleton, higher categories of living groups, and classification; identification of living caecillians.
3
 Biogeography of amphibians and phylogeny of living frogs and salamanders. Identification of salamanders.
4
 Siren and paedomorphic salamander speciation; amphibian courtship, mate selection, modes of reproduction and life history patterns. Identification of frogs.
5
 Bioacoustical interpretations of amphibian vocalizations. Ecological considerations, territoriality and aggression, predation and anti-predator mechanisms, feeding and prey selection. Larval amphibians, metamorphosis, and growth.
6
 Declining amphibian populations and amphibian conservation. Lecture and lab test on amphibians.
7
 Origins of reptiles and introduction to crocodilians; crocodilian life history, sex determination, predator-prey relations. Identification of crocodilians, and Saturday fieldtrip to St. Augustine Alligator Farm.
8
 Introduction to turtle groups. Midterm examinations, and diversity of living turtles, skeletal characters.
9
 Phylogeny of living turtle groups. Identification of turtles.
10
 Crocodilian behavior, ecology, and conservation, and turtle ecology and conservation. Free lab time, and Saturday fieldtrip to River Styx and Ocala National Forest.
11
 Introduction to amphibaenids, lizards, and snakes; ecology and life history patterns. Lecture and lab test on crocodilians and turtles; identification of lizards.
12
 Origin and diversification of the Lepidosauromorpha: Phylogeny of amphisbaenids, lizards, and snakes. Identification of lizards.
13
 Snake systematics, anatomy, and morphology. 3-day fieldtrip to Florida panhandle; diversity of Florida habitats and herps.
14
 Ecology and life history patterns of snakes; venomous reptiles and their venom apparatuses. Identification of snakes.
15
 Conservation of amphisbaenids, lizards, and snakes; DNA and phylogeography of Florida reptiles. Free lab time; review of amphisbaenids, lizards, and snakes.
16
 Final examination. Final lab exam.
Eastern box turtle from Apalachicola highlands.

[Back to UF & FLMNH Herp Programs]
[FLMNH Herpetology]

UF Logo
Three-lined salamander from Apalachicola floodplain.

Copyright © 1999, 2006 Florida Museum of Natural History.