Syllabus (GEOLOGY)

Course Type: MAJ-4

Semester: 4

Course Code: BGELMAJ04C

Course Title: Palaeontology

(L-P-Tu): 4-2-0

Credit: 6

Practical/Theory: Combined

Course Objective: Palaeontology is the study of fossil specimens of organism that lived through geological history. Hence, objective will be to impart knowledge about origin and evolution of life through geological time.

Learning Outcome: In palaeontology students learn about evolution by taking into consideration chrono species which is bio species along with a 3rd dimension called Lineage since bio events are synchronous throughout the world and the very much ambient environment sensitive, this domain of knowledge is used as a tool to interpret past along with relative age determination and corelation.

Theory:

Unit I: Fossilization and fossil record

1. Fossilization: Definition of fossil, fossilization processes and modes of preservation, exceptional preservation

2. Taphonomy: Definition, different types of Taphonomic filters

Unit II: Taxonomy and Systematics

1. Taxonomy: Concept of taxonomy and taxonomic hierarchy

2. Biological and morphological species concept

3. Principles of organicevolution – speciation, micro- andmacroevolution, theories of evolution

Unit III: Invertebrate Palaeontology:

1. Brief introduction to important invertebrate groups (Bivalvia, Gastropoda, Brachiopoda) and their biostratigraphic significance

2. Significance of ammonites in Mesozoic biostratigraphy and their paleobiogeographic implications. Functional adaptation in trilobites and ammonoids

3. Micropaleontology and its application in earth sciences

Unit IV: Vertebrate Palaeontology:

1. Origin of vertebrates and major steps in vertebrate evolution

2. Mesozoic reptiles with special reference to origin, diversity and extinction of dinosaurs

3. Evolution of horse and intercontinental migrations; Human evolution

Unit V: Introduction to Paleobotany, Gondwana Flora and Ichnology

1. Introduction to Paleobotany

2. Introduction to Gondwana Flora

3. Plants as indicator of past climate

4. Ichnology and its application in paleoecology

Unit VI: Application of fossils in Stratigraphy

1. Definitions: Biozones, index fossils, stratigraphic correlation, examples - significance of ammonites in Mesozoic paleobiostratigraphy

2. Application of fossils in Paleoenvironmental analysis

List of Practicals

1. Study of fossils with various modes of preservation

2. Study of systematic position, stratigraphic position and age of various invertebrate,
   Study of functional morphological characters of different groups (Bivalvia, Gastropods, Brachiopoda, Echinodermata, Chephalopods, Gondwana flora, vertebrates)

3. Hard part morphology and identification of common Brachiopoda, Anthozoa, Trilobita, Echinoidea, Gastropoda. Identification of Gondwana flora

4. Cladistics and Cladogram

Reading References:

• Raup, D. M., Stanley, S. M., Freeman, W. H. (1971) Principles of Paleontology

• Clarkson, E. N. K. (2012) Invertebrate paleontology and evolution 4th Edition by Blackwell Publishing.

• Benton, M. (2009). Vertebrate paleontology. John Wiley & Sons.

• Benton, M. J., Harper, D. A. T. (2010). Introduction to Paleobiology and the Fossil Record, Wiley-Blackwell.

• Shukla, A. C., & Misra, S. P. (1975). Essentials of paleobotany. Vikas Publisher