Curriculum Animal biology
Coordinator: Dr. Luigi Maiorano
The Curriculum in “Animal Biology” aims at building skills on the main topics of modern animal biology at the highest professional level. A special focus is devoted to animal phylogeny, the theory and practice of biological systematics, micro- and macroevolution, the description of the functional level (general morphology and comparative anatomy, of invertebrates and vertebrates) and its interpretation in an adaptive framework. Issues of population biology are also covered, with studies on the genetic structures of populations, speciation processes, geographical distribution models, as well as structure and dynamics of zoocoenoses, and the implementation of methodologies for the conservation and management of natural populations and for the evaluation of the environmental impact. Animal developmental biology is studied with special regards to cytodifferentiation and moprhogenesis, in the framework of gametogenesis, 'embryogenesis, post-embryonic development and regeneration.
Main Research topics
- Evolutionary Biology, Systematics, Biogeography and Insect Conservation Biology
- Applied Evolutionary Biology of phytophagous Insects
- Evolutionary Biology of Mollusca
- Animal Ecology, Behavioural Ecology, Management and Conservation of animal populations
- Conservation Biology and Conservation Priorities
- Genetic structure, systematics and molecular Evolution of circum-Mediterranean animal taxa
- Evolutionary Biology, Biogeography and Taxonomy of hypogean Arthropods
- Evolutionary Biology and Ecology of Crustaceans
- Biology and Behavioural Ecology of Ants
- Evolutionary Biology of Osteichthyes
- Microevolution and Speciation in Rodentia
- Comparative Neurobiology
Supervisors
- Audisio Paolo
- Castiglia Riccardo
- Cerretti Pierfilippo
- Ciucci Paolo
- De Biase Alessio
- Maiorano Luigi
- Oliverio Marco
- Pape Thomas
- Rondinini Carlo
- Rossi Anna Rita
- Sola Luciana
- Stireman John O.
- Toni Mattia