Vertebrate Palaeontology-Palaeoanthropology
| Title | ΠΑΛΑΙΟΝΤΟΛΟΓΙΑ ΣΠΟΝΔΥΛΩΤΩΝ-ΠΑΛΑΙΟΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΛΟΓΙΑ / Vertebrate Palaeontology-Palaeoanthropology |
| Code | NGGG 529E |
| Faculty | Sciences |
| School | Geology |
| Cycle / Level | 1st / Undergraduate |
| Teaching Period | Winter/Spring |
| Coordinator | Anastasia Gkeme |
| Common | No |
| Status | Active |
| Course ID | 600025120 |
Programme of Study: PPS-Tmīma Geōlogías (2020-sīmera)
Registered students: 21
| Orientation | Attendance Type | Semester | Year | ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KORMOS | Elective Courses | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| TEKTONIKĪ GEŌLOGIA KAI STRŌMATOGRAFIA | Elective Course belonging to the selected specialization (Elective Specialization Course) | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| Academic Year | 2025 – 2026 |
| Class Period | Winter |
| Instructors from Other Categories |
|
| Weekly Hours | 3 |
| Total Hours | 39 |
| Class ID | 600285593
|
Course Type 2021
Specialization / Direction
Mode of Delivery
- Face to face
Digital Course Content
- e-Study Guide https://qa.auth.gr/en/class/1/600285593
- eLearning:
- eLearning (Moodle): https://elearning.auth.gr/course/view.php?id=797
Erasmus
The course is also offered to exchange programme students.
Language of Instruction
- Greek (Instruction, Examination)
- English (Instruction, Examination)
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the course the student will be able to:
1) recognize the basic principles and rules governing vertebrate paleontology and paleoanthropology
2) identify and describe the anatomical features of the skeleton of tetrapods and their major groups as well as prehistoric humans and compare skeletal structures of different vertebrate groups,
3) explain and distinguish the stages in the evolution of the main vertebrate groups and relate the macro-evolution of vertebrate organisms to the main geological-geomorphological and climatic changes in the history of the planet.
4) apply to his/her study the comparative material of the vertebrate and primate collection of the Museum of Geology-Palaeontology-Palaeoanthropology
5) develop skills in fossil identification (in the laboratory and in the field), as well as in the classification, use and exploitation of palaeontological data in geological and biological research
General Competences
- Apply knowledge in practice
- Retrieve, analyse and synthesise data and information, with the use of necessary technologies
- Work autonomously
- Work in teams
- Work in an international context
- Work in an interdisciplinary team
- Appreciate diversity and multiculturality
- Respect natural environment
- Demonstrate social, professional and ethical commitment and sensitivity to gender issues
Course Content (Syllabus)
Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology of Fish, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds, and Mammals.
Importance - use of vertebrate fossils in the dating and reconstruction of the paleoenvironment. The Hellenic Fossil Archive.
Primates (origin, general characteristics). Morphological characters. Physical Anthropology and skeletal material. Evolutionary trends in Primates. Cercopithecoidea. Miocene hominoids. Pliocene hominids. Australopithecians. Appearance and evolution of the genus Homo. Evolutionary stages of Homo habilis, Homo erectus, Homo heidelbergensis, Primitive Homo sapiens, Neanderthal, modern Homo sapiens. Taphonomy. Brain evolution. The Petralona (Chalkidiki) hominid skull. Paleoanthropological findings from famous sites and the Greek area.
Keywords
Vertebrate Palaeontology, Palaeoanthopology & Physical Anthropology, Origin and Evolution of main vertebrate groups, Εvolution of Man, Greek vertebrate Record
Educational Material Types
- Slide presentations
- Multimedia
- Book
Use of Information and Communication Technologies
Use of ICT
- Use of ICT in Course Teaching
- Use of ICT in Laboratory Teaching
- Use of ICT in Communication with Students
- Use of ICT in Student Assessment
Description
1) the teacher uses digital data and software in lectures and labs
2) the teacher communicates with students through email and elearning
3) the students may be evaluated using digital features by elearnig; the class evaluation is performed through the Quality Assurance Unit (MODIP)
Course Organization
| Activities | Workload | ECTS | Individual | Teamwork | Erasmus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 26 | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Laboratory Work | 13 | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Fieldwork | 15 | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Reading Assigment | 23 | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Written assigments | 20 | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Exams | 3 | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Total | 100 |
Student Assessment
Description
1. Written Examination ('proodos') with short answer questions on theory. It constitutes 30% of the total score.
2. Writing-Presentation of a thematic topic. Comprises 40% of the total score.
3. Delivery of Laboratory Exercises. 30% of the total score.
Student Assessment methods
- Written Exam with Multiple Choice Questions (Formative)
- Written Exam with Short Answer Questions (Formative)
- Written Exam with Extended Answer Questions (Summative)
- Written Assignment (Summative)
- Oral Exams (Summative)
- Performance / Staging (Summative)
- Report (Formative)
- Labortatory Assignment (Formative)
Bibliography
Course Bibliography (Eudoxus)
Βιολογική Ανθρωπολογία-Ανακαλύπτοντας τις Ρίζες μας Κωδικός Βιβλίου στον Εύδοξο: 94643565
Additional bibliography for study
--Κωστόπουλος Δ. & Γ. Κουφός, Η Εξέλιξη του Έμβιου Κόσμου-Χορδωτά, Παλαιοντολογία Σπονδυλωτών, 2015, Ελληνικά Ακαδημαϊκά Ηλεκτρονικά Συγγράμματα και Βοηθήματα, ΚΑΛΛΙΠΟΣ, σελ. 303.
--Δερμιτζάκης, Μ. Αναζητώντας τους προγόνους μας, 1998, εκδ. Μαυρομμάτη, σελ. 319, Αθήνα
--Στρίνγκερ, Κ. Άντριους Κ. ΗΟΜΟ Η καταγωγή και εξέλιξη του ανθρώπου, 2011, σελ. 240, εκδ. Polaris, Αθήνα
--Πίτσιος, Θ. Εξελικτική Ανθρωπολογία, 2003, σελ. 666, εκδ. Πασχαλίδης, Αθήνα
Last Update
13-06-2025
