This course aims to provide basic knowledge about animals and their relationships with the other organisms and the environment using an evolutionary and adaptive approach. Cultural and educational objectives of this course is the acquisition of basic knowledge on: zoological classification and systematics; structural and functional organization of animals; methods of reproduction; development; behavior; phylogeny; distribution. Other objectives are also the acquisition of methodological skills, such as the recognition of the main animal taxa, monitoring techniques, comparative analysis of macro and microscopic anatomy and the preparation of samples to be observed with optical microscopes. The expected learning outcomes concern in-depth knowledge of animal biodiversity, in order to develop an awareness of their fundamental ecological role and the need of monitoring and protection for the sake of the survival of all ecosystems