Dr. Teather has been a member of the Biology Department at the University of Prince Edward Island since July 1997. He obtained his B.Sc. at Brock University, M.Sc. at Queen's, and Ph. D. at Carleton University (1986).He subsequently spent just over a year in Indonesia before conducting post-doctoral work at Cambridge University. Prior to coming to UPEI, he was a faculty member at Augustana University College in Alberta for two years, and at Trent University in Ontario for three years. His research and teaching interests are in the fields of vertebrate zoology and animal behaviour.
Bio 121: Human Anatomy
Bio 324: Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy
Bio 335: Animal Behaviour
Bio 353: Human Anatomy and Histology
Bio 361: Biology of Fishes
Biology 121 - Human Anatomy
This course deals with structural levels of organization of the human body and is designed for students in the nursing program.
The gross anatomy and histology of the integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory, lymphatic, digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems are explored.
Biology 324 - Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy
This course builds upon some of the material presented in Biology 204, providing students with a much more detailed look at the 
structure and function of various organs and organ systems of the vertebrate body. Dissections and display material are used during laboratories to allow students to compare and contrast these systems in representative vertebrates.
Biology 335 - Animal Behaviour
This course explores various aspects of animal behaviour, primarily from an evolutionary perspective. Topics covered include the development and expression of
behaviour, animal communication, predator-prey interactions, reproductive and parental strategies of males and females, and the application of an evolutionary approach to the study of human behaviour.
Biology 353 - Human Anatomy and Histology
This course involves lecture and laboratory approaches to the study of the macro- and microanatomy of the human body. We begin with 
an overview of basic tissue types. Students then examine the histology and anatomy of the all major body systems. The laboratory component of the course generally parallels and reinforces lecture concepts through the use of models, histological slides, skeletal materials and computer simulations.
Biology 361 - Biology of Fishes
Fishes make up the largest group of vertebrates and, not surprisingly, exhibit tremendous diversity in all aspects of their biology. In this course, we examine a range of topics related to fish biology - taxonomy, anatomy / physiology, ecology and behaviour. Finally, we touch on some of the important conservation issues facing this group today.
Research Interests
My research focuses on the response of fish to land use. This is a particularly important topic in Prince Edward Island where almost half of our land is used for some form of agriculture. Siltation, pesticide runoff and increased nutrient input resulting from farming practices all have serious consequences for freshwater and estuarine fish. My students and I use both laboratory a field studies to assess responses by populations and communities of fish to stresses arising through land use practices. Most recently, we've been examining estuaries around the Island to gain a better understanding of how increased nutrient input from heavily farmed watersheds is impacting local fish communities.
Christina Pater
The status of fish communities in Prince Edward Island
estuary eelgrass beds
Sampling eelgrass fish communities
Booker supervising field work
Selected Publications
Guignion, D., Dupuis, T., Teather, K., and R. MacFarlane. In press. Distribution and abundance of salmonids in Prince Edward Island streams. Northeastern Naturalist.
Teather, K. and J. Parrott. 2006. Assessing the sensitivity of freshwater fish commonly used in toxicological studies. Water Quality Research Journal of Canada 41: 100-105.
Gormley, K., Teather, K., and D. Guignion. 2005. Changes in salmonid communities resulting from pesticide runoff events. Ecotoxicology 14: 671-678.
Teather, K., Jardine, C., and K. Gormley. 2005. Behavioural and sex ratio modification of Japanese medaka in response to environmentally relevant mixtures of three pesticides. Environmental Toxicology 20: 110-117.
Gormley, K., Guignion, D., and K. Teather. 2005. Distribution and abundance of slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus) on Prince Edward Island, Canada. American Midland Naturalist 153: 152-154.
Silva, M., Hartling, L., Field, S., and K. Teather. 2003. The effects of habitat fragmentation on amphibian species richness of Prince Edward Island. Canadian Journal of Zoology 81: 563-573.
Gormley, K. and K. Teather. 2003. Developmental, behavioural, and reproductive effects experienced by Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) in response to short-term exposure to endosulfan, an organochlorine pesticide. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 54: 330-338.
Gallant, N. and K.L. Teather. 2001. Differences in size, pigmentation and fluctuating asymmetry in stressed and nonstressed northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens). Ecoscience 8: 430-436.
Teather, K., Harris, M, Boswell, J. and M. Gray. 2001. Effects of Acrobat MZ and Tattoo C on Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) development and adult male behaviour. Aquatic Toxicology 51: 419-430.
Teather, K. L., J. Boswell, and M. A. Gray. 2000. Early life-history parameters of Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). Copeia 2000: 813-818.
Gray, M. A., Teather, K. L., and C. D. Metcalfe. 1999. Reproductive success and behaviour of Japanese medaka exposed to 4-tert-octylphenol. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 18: 2587-2594.
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Department of Biology