Bi8055 Arachnology

Faculty of Science
autumn 2021
Extent and Intensity
2/1/0. 3 credit(s) (plus 2 credits for an exam). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. Mgr. Stanislav Pekár, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. Mgr. Stanislav Pekár, Ph.D.
Department of Botany and Zoology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: prof. Mgr. Stanislav Pekár, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Botany and Zoology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Prerequisites (in Czech)
Bi1030 Inverteb. phylog. & divers.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 15 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 2/15, only registered: 0/15, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/15
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Arachnology lectures give account to external morphology, functional anatomy, metabolism, neurobiology, development, predatory and reproductive behaviour, ecology, phylogeny, systematics, zoogeography and faunistics of spiders and other important arachnid orders. It is focused on arachnids of the central Europe, particularly on spiders but also on harvestmen, pseudoscorpions and scorpions.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course the student will be able to identify spiders into families, have knowledge on biology of arachnids, discuss evolution of various traits.
Syllabus
  • Introduction to arachnids: General characteristics of recent spider orders. External morphology of the main groups with a special emphasis to spiders, harvestmen and pseudoscorpions. 2) Functional anatomy: External and internal anatomy of main organs on prosoma and opisthosoma. Description of exoskeleton and endoskeleton. 3) Metabolism: Anatomy of poison glands. Efficiency and characteristics of spider toxins. Internal anatomy of digestive tract. Excretory organs and excretion. Description of the circulatory system - heart, blood vessels, blood cells, hemolymph. Respiratory organs - book lungs, tracheae, respiratory systems and evolution. 4) Neurobiology: structure and function. Mechanical senses - tactile hairs, trichobothria, slit sensilla, lyriform organs. Proprioceptors - joint receptors, chemoreceptors, thermoreceptors. Vision - eyes, perception of polarised light, visual acuity. Peripheral nerves. Central nervous system - supraesophageal and subesophageal ganglion, neurosecretion, control of behaviour. 5) Webs: Silk. Silk glands - structure and types, physiology, Spinnerets - morphology. Web capture modes - purse webs, sheet webs, frame webs, orb webs. Web building behaviour - construction, web segments, function of threads, drug webs. Evolution of webs. 6) Locomotion and Prey capture: Walking - mechanism. Locomotion on web - climbing, declining, running. Jumping. Wheeling locomotion. Locomotion on and under water. Locomotory activity. Prey capture - wandering spiders, web spiders, other arachnids. 7) Reproduction: Internal sexual organs - testes, sperm cells, ovaries, egg cells. External sexual organs - structure of male palp and epigyne, sperm induction. Brood care. Egg case construction. Cocoons - types. Fertility. 8) Development: Early development. Metameric phase. Inversion of embryo. Organ development - nervous system, gut. Classification of stages. Growth and moulting - moulting process. Physiology of moulting - hormonal control. Autotomy. Regeneration. Life cycle and longevity. 9) Behaviour 1: Courtship - levels, signals. Copulation - types. Agonistic behaviour - intraspecific interactions between kins. 10) Behaviour 2: Foraging - prey specialists. Communication - chemical, visual, vibrational. Social spiders - origin of sociality. 11) Ecology: Occurrence and distribution. Habitat. Prey animals - trophic levels. Enemies and defences. Adaptations. Thermoregulation. Overwintering. 12) Phylogeny and systematics: Fossils. Evolutionary trends. Classification of arachnid orders. Cladogram of spider families. 13) Faunistics and zoogeography. World arachnid fauna. European arachnids. 14) Cytogenetics. 15) Arachnofauna of CR. Identification.
Literature
  • Foelix R. F. 1996. Biology of Spiders. Oxford University Press. Oxford; Buchar J. & Kůrka A. 1998. Naši pavouci. Academia, Praha.
Teaching methods
lectures and theoretical examples
Assessment methods
written test, group projects, oral exam
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught once in two years.
Information on the per-term frequency of the course: podzim lichý.
The course is taught: in blocks.
General note: vypisuje se v lichém roce.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2007 - for the purpose of the accreditation, Autumn 2003, Autumn 2004, Autumn 2005, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2011 - acreditation, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, autumn 2017, Autumn 2019, Autumn 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (autumn 2021, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/autumn2021/Bi8055