Heath Blackmon Evolution and Diversity of Coleoptera Chromosome Evolution Sex Determination Evolution Speciation / Population Subdivision / Deme Sizes Office ERB 450 Office Hours in LS129 Monday 12:30-2:00 Wednesday 5:00-6:30
Introductions
Entomology Lab Syllabus Collecting & Curation Dichotomous Keys
Course Objectives ● Learn and demonstrate proper methods of collecting and preserving insects. ● Learn and demonstrate proper use of a dichotomous key to identify specimens.
Supplies ● No lab manual is required. Taxonomic keys and info sheets will be supplied or ed to you. ● Supplies such as pins and collection boxes will be provided as well.
Attendance ● Attendance is mandatory I will take roll. ● If you must miss a lab ● me in advance and you can then attend the other lab section.
Grading ● Lab is worth 200 points 1/3 of your overall grade in the course ● Lab Practical 75 points ● Quiz 25 points ● Insect Collection 100 points
Academic Integrity ● Don't Cheat ● Don't buy a collection on Ebay ● Cheating ● buying a collection ● copying on a quiz or exam ● turning in work that is not your own ● Any of these will result in a zero for the assignment and you will be reported to the department.
Who are these guys and what do they have in common?
Charles Darwin Henry Walter BatesAlfred Russel Wallace Evolution by Natural Selection 5 years on the Beagle Natural Selection / Biogeography / Warning Coloration 4 years in the Amazon-shipwreck 8 years in the Malay Archipelago Mimicry 11 years in the Amazon
Charles Darwin Henry Walter BatesAlfred Russel Wallace
Why do we build insect collections?
● Document biodiversity ● Document changes in ecosystems ● Alpha Taxonomy ● Forensics ● Fun
Basic Collecting Equipment
Specialized Equipment ● Many collecting methods take advantage of insect behavior.
Curating Equipment ● Insect Pins ● Forceps ● Pinning Block ● Point Punch ● Mounting / Spreading Board
Labeling Specimens USA.TX.Tarrant Co. Arlington River Legacy Park °N 97.12°W Malaise net 25 meters N of pond Heath L. Blackmon 21 May 2010
Labeling Specimens
Collection Maintenance Pests Mold
Dichotomous Keys Identify Organisms Evolutionary Classification vs. Dichotomous Key Pairs of contrasting descriptions After each description you are directed to a new couplet or the organism is identified
Today Each of you will properly pin two large insects and point mount four small insects Large Insects 1 Pin the insect 2 Position at correct height 3 arrange the appendages Small Insect 1 Prepare points on pins 2 Bend point to match specimen 3 Glue Specimen
Next Week Non hexapod arthropod orders