University of Liege | Version française
Study programmes 2010-2011Last update : 11/04/2011
PALE0201-1  Paleozoology, 30h Th, 2 d field trip, 30h Pr
Duration :  30h Th, 30h Pr, 2d FW
Credits/ECTS :  
Bachelor in geological sciences, 2nd yearFirst semester7
Holder(s) :  Edouard Poty
Language :  French language
Course contents :  The course comprises two parts (for 15h each). The first is devoted to the invertebrate palaeontology and includes the origin of life and metazoans, and the origin, the evolution and the stratigraphic distribution of the mains invertebrate groups (sponges, archaeocyathans, stromatoporids, corals, mollusks, arthropods, brachiopods, graptolits and echinoderms).
The second part is devoted to the origin, the relationships and the evolution of the main vertebrate groups, and pays attention to the Palaeozoic agnathans and fishes, the terrestrialization, the radiation of archosaurians and their evolution to birds, the acquisition of mammalian characters in cynodont reptiles and their evolution to mammals, and the broad outline of the evolution of primates and Man. Influence of global events on the distribution and evolution of fossils is discussed.

Course objective :  To give the basic knowledge to recognize fossils, to understand their general evolution and relationships, and to known their stratigraphic distribution. The course is a base for sedimentology, palaeogeography, event geology and to do researches in palaeontology;

Prerequisites :  Basic knowledge of the animal morphology, physiology, systematics, ecology and biology (level of the course of zoology of 1 bac in geology). Moreover, a basic knowledge in geology is also requested (level of the course of geology of 1 bac in geology, 2 bac in geography or in biology).

Workshops :  Practical works are devoted to the general morphology and the determination of the main groups of invertebrate fossils, and the illustration of their main evolutionary trends. The purpose of the field works are to find and to determine fossils, and to study their sedimentary context in order to date it and interprete its palaeoenvironment.

Organization :  Lecture is given during the first quadrimester, from the 2d week, on monday from 8H30 to 10H30 a.m. and wednesday.
Practical works are given during the 1st quadrimester. Field works have to be set.

Written notes :  Textbooks: "Paléontologie des invertébrés" and "Paléontologie des vertébrés" (in French) are on intranet. Textbook for practical works is given when doing.

References:
Principes de Paléontologie (C. Babin, éditions Armand Colin, 1991).
- Paléontologie des Invertébrés (R. Enay, géosciences Dunod, 1990).
- Fossil Invertebrate (R.S. Boardman, A.H. Cheetham & A.J. Rowell, Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1987).
- Patterns and Processes of Vertebrate Evolution (R.L. Carroll, Cambridge Topics in Palaeobiology, 1997).
Assessment :  Tests of determination of fossils are organized at the end of some practical works. The scores are not taken into account.
Exam is in January. It comprises a practical determination of fossils (1/3 of the score), then an oral part (2/3 of the score) devoted to the presentation of the results and to an evaluation of the theorical knowledges (1 question about the invertebrates + 1 about vertebrates).
Contacts :  Prof. E. Poty, Paléontologie animale et humaine, département de géologie, bât. B18,
4000 Liège, Sart Tilman.
Tél. : 04/366.52.83. - e-mail : e.poty@ulg.ac.be
Encadrement scientifique : S. Delculée, assistant.
Tél. : 04/366.52.79. S.delculee@ulg.ac.be


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