BIOEE 4762

The Biology, Evolution, and Lives of Fishes

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2024-2025.

Fishes and fishing are linked throughout the history of humans. While early fishing was assuredly for survival, its modern form includes both subsistence and sport. This course will dive into the target of fishing- the most diverse vertebrate group; the fishes. Together we will explore numerous aspects about the biology of fishes including the diversity, evolution, anatomy, ecology, behavior, physiology, and conservation of the fishes of the world. Cornell is a world leading institution in the study of vertebrate biology, and has a long history of training students in the importance of specimen-based research. This is a college level course that will utilize the methods from many scientific disciplines in our approaches to studying fishes, though the only prerequisite is a strong interest in fishes.

When Offered Winter.

Distribution Category (OPHLS-AG)

• Upon completion of this course, students will demonstrate the ability to summarize the key components used for classifying the vast diversity of fishes. This includes competent use of anatomical terminology related to differentiating the Orders and Families of fishes in both a phylogenetic (evolutionary) and biogeographic context.
• Upon completion of this course, students will be able to compare and contrast the anatomy of fishes with respect to their ecology and use that information to classify various aspects of the life history and biology of fishes, including feeding, movement, and behavior. Further, students will be able to use this information from known species to predict these various aspects for fishes they are unfamiliar with.
• Students will be able to identify the physical features of fishes including both hard anatomy, i.e. skeleton and scales, and soft anatomy, i.e. skin, muscles, alimentary canal, cardiovascular system, gas bladder, kidney, gonads, reproductive systems, and nervous system.
• Students will demonstrate the ability to summarize the major aspects of physiological function including comparing how fishes respire, transport gases, control buoyancy, balance ions and water, and regulate body temperature.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of the sensory functions of fishes including vision, hearing, electroreception, chemoreception, and mechanoreception.

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