BAA 289L is a hands-on dissection course in which 2-person teams research, dissect, and write about a variety of different mammals. We dissect the animals simultaneously, one area or system each week, to enable comparisons among widely differing morphologies. Comparisons emphasize functional morphology and phylogenetic history. Comparative Mammalian Anatomy is offered every other year. Starting in Spring 2002, the coursework was significantly modified so that instead of turning in written assignments on paper, students would turn in images and text, comprising an anatomical photo atlas, to be published on the World Wide Web. This was facilitated by the department of Biological Anthropology and Anatomy's purchase of a digital camera for student use.

The 2002 and 2004 sites differ, as we were able to refine the original idea after our intial experience. Different mammals were dissected each year. Also, course head Anne Weil significantly improved her design and HTML skills in the intervening time!

More about the course:

Conceptual objectives:
- to learn the anatomy of mammals other than humans
- to examine the relationship of function to mammalian morphology
- to examine the relationship of phylogeny to mammalian morphology
- to consider the role of development in mammalian morphology

Skill objectives:
- to develop expertise in dissection
- to develop class presentation skills
- to develop technical writing and Web presentation skills
- to familiarize students with some primary scientific literature

Class structure:
This class has a light assigned reading load and no exam. We dissect or examine one part of the body each week, and students are assigned an animal beforehand. Students are expected to research that animal and come into lab prepared to do the dissection, and to be able to demonstrate major structures and points of particular functional, phylogenetic, or developmental interest to the rest of the class.

Each week students photograph their dissections with a digital camera, and label the resulting image so that it can be placed on the Web. Students also provide text describing what is shown, any important features, and how they did the dissection. They may also provide explanatory diagrams (if they are original) and tables. This work constitutes the class project, and is placed on the Web as a digital dissection manual. As many drafts as necessary are read and corrected to insure that classwork is well-presented and accurate.

As authors, students must be careful about the originality of their work, and about properly attributing anyone else's work.

Grades are based on:
weekly class presentations: 50%
semester project: 50%

Artwork: Weil, from Stubbs' 1776 "Anatomy of the Horse"
Background free from Eos Development, with slight color modification.