AQUATIC ENTOMOLOGY

BIOLOGY 806

(Taught in Springs of Even Numbered Years)

OBJECTIVES:

To develop an understanding of and an appreciation for aquatic insects. The course will stress the biology, life history, ecology and systematics of each of the aquatic insect orders. The lab will emphasize collecting techniques and identification of aquatic insects. A collection is required.

COURSE OUTLINE

1. Introduction

A. Scope of Course

B. Introduction to Insects

1. Higher classification

2. Life cycles

3. General life history patterns

4. External morphology

5. General collecting techniques

2. Survey of the Aquatic Insects; including discussions of systematics, morphology, biology, Life Histories, Ecology and Identification for each order

1. Order Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies)

2. Order Ephemeroptera (mayflies)

3. Order Plecoptera (stoneflies)

4. Order Trichoptera (caddisflies)

5. Order Hemiptera (true bugs)

6. Order Coleoptera (beetles)

7. Orders Megaloptera (hellgramites and dobsonflies)

8. Order Neuroptera (spongillaflies)

9. Order Lepidoptera (aquatic moths)

10. Order Diptera (true flies)

TEXT:

Aquatic Insects of North America, 3rd edition; R. Merritt and K. Cummins.

(Additional readings will be given throughout the semester)

TESTS:

Three Written Lecture Exams

Two Practical Laboratory Exams

COLLECTION:

All students will be expected to make a professional quality insect collection. It will consist of 75 taxa which will be identified to the genus level (with the exception of some dipteran families). The 75 taxa will consist of 60 immature taxa and 15 adult taxa. There will be no repetition of genera; however, several or all genera of any given family may be represented. You may also have the same genus in your immature and adult collections.

Each taxon will be distinctly labeled with the name of the organism and determiner on one label and the pertinent locality data and the date of collection on another label. All vials need to be numbered with the number inside the vial so that it is clearly visible, and you should turn in with the collection a list of the taxa in the collection with their corresponding vial number. Each taxon will be worth 2 points. I will give 0.5 points/taxon for correct family identification and 1.5 points/taxon for correct genus identification. I will also have the option to reduce the grade of the collection for lack of neatness and/or lack of sufficient data accompanying the specimens. For every day it is late your grade will be reduced by one letter grade.

PAPER:

Each student will be required to do a term paper on some aquatic insect taxon (normally a genus). The paper should involve a detailed discussion of the life history and ecology of the taxon, and include appropriate literature citations. I expect all students to get into the primary literature for this paper. The topic should first be approved by the instructor so there is no duplication by students. Two copies should be turned in; one will be kept by the instructor. The paper will be worth the equivalent of one lecture test (i.e., 100 points).

GRADING:

There will be two practical exams (100 points each), two lecture exams (100 points), an insect collection (150 points) and a term paper (100 points). The grading scale will be 89.5-100=A; 79.5-89.4=B; 69.5-79.4=C; 59.5-69.4=D; <59.4=F.

MIDTERM GRADES

The midterm grade will be an average of all tests that have been taken to that date.

 

FIELD TRIPS:

During the semester several local field trips, and at least on weekend will be scheduled. The local field trips will be scheduled during the regular lab periods, and will not conflict with other class times.

LABORATORY AND FIELD SCHEDULE

ATTENDANCE:

The policy is that which is prescribed to by the Department. That is, a 20% absenteeism in either lecture or lab will result in automatic failure of the course.

LAST DAY TO DROP CLASS:

RETURN TO HOMEPAGE