Zoology, also spelled zoölogy, is the branch of biology that focuses on the structure, function, behavior, and evolution of animals. The correct pronunciation of "zoology" is /zoʊˈɑləʤɪ/.[1]

Contents

Systems of classification

Main article: Scientific classification Linnaeus's table of the Animal Kingdom from the first edition of Systema Naturae (1735).

Morphography is the systematic exploration, tabulation, and characterization of data concerning animals, existing or extinct. It is similar to ethnography. Groups of people who have contributed to the field include:

  1. Past museum-makers of and their modern descendants, the curators and annotators of zoological collections
  2. Early explorers and modern naturalist travelers and writers
  3. Collectors of fossils and paleontologists

Subfields of zoology

Although the study of animal life is ancient, its scientific incarnation is relatively modern. This mirrors the transition from natural history to biology at the start of the nineteenth century. Since Hunter and Cuvier, comparative anatomical study has been associated with morphography shapins the modern areas of zoological investigation: anatomy, physiology, histology, embryology, and animal behavior. Modern zoology first arose in German and British universities. In Britain, Thomas Henry Huxley was a prominent figure. His ideas were centered on the morphology of animals. Many consider him the greatest comparative anatomist of the latter half of the nineteenth century. Similar to Hunter, his courses were composed of lectures and laboratory practical classes in contrast the previous format of lectures only. This system became widely spread.

Gradually zoology expanded beyond Huxley's comparative anatomy to include the following sub-disciplines:

  1. Zoography, also known as descriptive zoology, describes animals and their habitats.
  2. Comparative anatomy studies the structure of animals.
  3. Animal physiology
  4. Molecular Biology studies the common genetic and developmental mechanisms of animals and plants
  5. Ethology is the study of animal behavior.
  6. Behavioral ecology
  7. Evolutionary biology: See of both animals and plants is considered in the articles on evolution, population genetics, heredity, variation, Mendelism, reproduction.
  8. Systematics, cladistics, phylogenetics, phylogeography, biogeography and taxonomy classify and group species via common descent and regional associations.
  9. The various taxonomically-oriented disciplines such as mammalogy, herpetology, ornithology identify and classify species, and study the structures and mechanisms specific to those groups. Entomology is the study of insects, by far the largest group of animals.
  10. Palaeontology

Notable zoologists

Main article: List of zoologists

In alphabetical order by surname:

See also

References

  1. ^ "Zoology". Dictionary.com. http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=zoology. Retrieved on 26 April 2007.

External links

At Wikiversity you can learn more and teach others about Zoology at: The School of Zoology
Major subfields of biology
Anatomy · Astrobiology · Biochemistry · Biophysics · Bioinformatics · Biostatistics · Botany · Cell biology · Chronobiology · Conservation biology · Developmental biology · Ecology · Epidemiology · Evolutionary biology · Genetics · Genomics · Human biology · Immunology · Marine biology · Mathematical biology · Microbiology · Molecular biology · Neuroscience · Nutrition · Origin of life · Paleontology · Parasitology · Pathology · Physiology · Systems biology · Taxonomy · Zoology

Categories: Zoology | Greek loanwords

 

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'Zoologist' News
Town To Hire Plover Monitor For North Beach Island - Cape Cod Chronicle
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Town To Hire Plover Monitor For North Beach Island

Cape Cod Chronicle, MA

Duncanson would not speculate about whether the North Beach Island plan will pass muster with state zoologist Dr. Scott Melvin of the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species program. Last week, Melvin said he believes it is possible for people and ...
Google News Search: Zoologist,
Sat Apr 18 15:31:49 2009
'Zoologist' Blogs
My Life as a Budding Zoologist
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My Life as a Budding Zoologist

ts

Wed, 06 May 2009 06:42:56 GM

Over the course of my life I ve had four academic opportunities to report on any animal of my choosing. As far as I can remember, I went with the pelican (3rd Grade), red-winged black-bird (3rd Grade), alligator (5th Grade), ...

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Sun Jun 21 00:56:58 2009
'Zoologist' Answers
What's the difference between a zoologist and wildlife biologist?
Q. I have been curious about the two because I want to major in some sort of animal science of the sort.
Asked by dalilsoccagrl - Fri Apr 11 23:01:21 2008 - - 3 Answers - 0 Comments

A. zoologist focus in zoo, how animals addecuate to in while wildlife managment or biologist as you say studies species in there natural habitat
Answered by Riri - Fri Apr 11 23:10:12 2008

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