ECTS credits ECTS credits: 6
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Hours of tutorials: 3 Expository Class: 34 Interactive Classroom: 15 Total: 52
Use languages Spanish, Galician
Type: Ordinary Degree Subject RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Departments: Physiology
Areas: Physiology
Center Faculty of Biology
Call: Second Semester
Teaching: With teaching
Enrolment: Enrollable
At the end of the course, a student should know, in a clear and integrated manner, the functions and the regulation of the different physiological systems of the animal organisms, both from the point of view individual as compared.
Lecture Program: 34 hours. In-person and mandatory
Evolution of the concept of physiology. Comparative animal physiology. Objectives of comparative animal physiology. Evolution of nervous systems. (3h)
Sensory physiology. Mechanoreceptors. The lateral line system in fish. Electroreceptors. Chemoreception. Photoreception. Other sensory systems. (6.5h)
Muscular physiology in invertebrates. Behavior: reflexes and fixed action patterns. Motor control. Other effector systems. (2.5h)
General aspects of endocrine and neuroendocrine control in invertebrates. Endocrinology of mollusks. (2h)
Endocrinology of crustaceans. Endocrinology of insects. (3h)
Endocrinology of non-mammalian vertebrates. (1h)
Cardiovascular systems: evolution. Propulsion systems. Blood and hemolymph. (5.5h)
Respiratory systems. Aquatic respiration. Water-to-air transition and bimodal respiration. Aerial respiration in invertebrates and non-mammalian vertebrates. (2.5h)
Ionic and osmotic regulation. Excretion. (5h)
Digestive physiology in invertebrates and vertebrates. (1.5h)
Temperature and body metabolism. Ectotherms and endotherms. (1.5h)
Interactive sessions (seminars and practicals): 15 hours
Seminars: 5 sessions of 2 hours each (total: 10 h). Discussion of questions, case studies, and problem-solving activities related to lecture content.
Virtual practicals (computer classroom): 1 session of 5 hours. Study of the effect of temperature on opercular beat in fish.
Tutorials (remote): 3 hours
Held virtually (via TEAMS). Dedicated to reviewing concepts to support learning and exam preparation.
Basic
Gilles, R., 2006. Physiologie animale. Bruxelles: De Boeck.
Hill, R.W., Wyse, G.A. & Anderson, N., 2006. Fisiología animal. Madrid: Editorial Médica Panamericana.
Hill, R.W., Wyse, G.A. & Anderson, M., 2012. Animal physiology. 3rd ed. Sunderland, Massachusetts: Sinauer.
Moyes, C.D & Schulte, P.M., 2006. Principios de Fisiología Animal. Madrid: Pearson-Addison Wesley.
Moyes, C.D & Schulte, P.M., 2016. Principles of Animal Physiology. 3rd ed. San Francisco: Pearson
Willmer, P., Stone, G. & Johnston, I., 2005. Environmental physiology of animals. 2nd ed. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell
Complementary
Evans, D.H., 2014. The physiology of fishes. 4th ed. Boca Ratón,Florida: CRC Press.
Klowden, M.J., 2013. Physiological systems in Insects. 3rd ed. Amsterdam: Elsevier Academic Press.
Norris, D.O. & Carr, J.A., 2013. Vertebrate endocrinology. 5th ed. Amsterdam: Elsevier Academic Press.
Randall, D.J., Burggren, W.W., French, K. & Eckert, R., 2002. Eckert animal physiology: mechanisms and adaptations. 5th ed. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company.
General Knowledge:
As specified in the official syllabus of the Degree for the group of subjects.
Skills
H1 – Ability to search for, process, analyze, and synthesize information from various sources.
H2 – Ability for reasoning, argumentation, and critical thinking.
H3 – Ability to work in groups and approach problematic situations collectively.
H4 – Ability to produce and present an organized and understandable text.
H5 – Ability to deliver clear, concise, and coherent public presentations.
H6 – Ability to properly cite and reference information sources used.
H7 – Ability to solve problems through the integrated application of knowledge, encouraging initiative and creativity.
H8 – Ability to organize and plan work.
H9 – Ability to interpret experimental results.
Competencies
Comp1 – Understand and integrate the functioning and regulation of the main physiological processes of living beings, as well as their interaction with the biotic and abiotic environment.
Note: The codes H1–H9 and Comp1 used in this guide correspond to the official codes in the syllabus as:
H/D01 = H1, H/D02 = H2, ..., Comp01 = Comp1, etc.
Lectures: Development by the teacher of the fundamental aspects of the program topics. Students can use the virtual campus tools to download summaries of the presentations. (In-person and mandatory: attendance of 70 % or more is required to pass the course)
Interactive sessions: Seminars will involve the discussion of questions and problems related to the program topics. Students will generally be required to work on the seminar content in advance and submit it to the relevant teacher. The Virtual Campus will be used for quizzes, exercises, etc. (Attendance is mandatory for evaluation: 100 % attendance is required to pass the course)
Attendance in interactive sessions (seminars and practicals) will be monitored via the Virtual Campus and submission of the assigned tasks at the end of each session.
Tutorials: Remote (via TEAMS). Tutorials are not mandatory but are recommended for resolving doubts and reinforcing exam preparation.
Interactive activities: up to 3 points.
Exams (in-person and/or online).
Systematic observation of attendance: attendance will be monitored through roll calls during lectures. Attendance is required to obtain this score.
Lectures: up to 7 points.
In-person exam.
TOTAL: 3 + 7 points
The lecture exam will consist of three parts, whose scores will be summed. A minimum score of 4 out of 10 is required for the grades to be counted.
All students, including those repeating the course and students from different groups, will be assessed in the same way during both official calls (January and July).
Competency assessment:
Exam: H1, H2, H9, Comp1
Practicals: H3, H4
Seminars: H5, H6, H7
6 ECTS – 25 hours/credit → Total: 150 hours
On-site hours:
Lectures: 34
Seminars: 10
Practical sessions (virtual lab): 5
Tutorials: 3
Exams: 3
Total on-site: 55 h
Personal study and work hours:
Lectures: 70
Interactive activities: 25
Total self-study: 95 h
It is essential that students have successfully completed the Animal Physiology course from the first semester. Active participation in all evaluable components and consistent study throughout the course are highly recommended.
Students enrolled in this course will have access, through the USC Virtual Campus, to most of the materials used by the instructors during lectures. The platform will also serve as the main channel for notifications and other communications.
Olga Barca Mayo
Coordinador/a- Department
- Physiology
- Area
- Physiology
- olga.barca.mayo [at] usc.es
- Category
- PROFESOR/A PERMANENTE LABORAL
Ruben Nogueiras Pozo
- Department
- Physiology
- Area
- Physiology
- Phone
- 881815437
- ruben.nogueiras [at] usc.es
- Category
- Investigador/a Distinguido/a
Marcos Rios Garcia
- Department
- Physiology
- Area
- Physiology
- marcos.rios.garcia [at] usc.es
- Category
- Researcher: Ramón y Cajal
Vitor Manuel Da Silva Ferreira
- Department
- Physiology
- Area
- Physiology
- vitormanuel.dasilva [at] usc.es
- Category
- Researcher: Juan de la Cierva Programme
| Wednesday | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00-10:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Spanish | Classroom 03. Carl Linnaeus |
| 10:00-11:00 | Grupo /CLE_02 | Spanish | Classroom 04: James Watson and Francis Crick |
| Thursday | |||
| 09:00-10:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Spanish | Classroom 03. Carl Linnaeus |
| 10:00-11:00 | Grupo /CLE_02 | Spanish | Classroom 04: James Watson and Francis Crick |
| Friday | |||
| 09:00-10:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Spanish | Classroom 03. Carl Linnaeus |
| 10:00-11:00 | Grupo /CLE_02 | Spanish | Classroom 04: James Watson and Francis Crick |
| 05.18.2026 10:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 01. Charles Darwin |
| 05.18.2026 10:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 02. Gregor Mendel |
| 05.18.2026 10:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 03. Carl Linnaeus |
| 07.06.2026 10:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 01. Charles Darwin |
| 07.06.2026 10:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 02. Gregor Mendel |